The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Charles de l'Écluse (1525/6 - 1609)
Alias Carolus [alias] Clusius
Botanist
Relevant locations: Workplace or place of business Leiden Botanical Garden, Leiden University
Relationships: Henrik Høyer (-fl. 1604) was a correspondent of Charles de l'Écluse
Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Curae posteriores.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Exoticorum libri decem: quibus animalium, plantarum, aromatum, alioruḿque peregrinorum fructuum historiæ describuntur: item Petri Bellonii Observationes, eodem Carolo Clusio interprete. Series totius operis post praefationem indicabitur. .
as Subject of/in a document - One Hundred and One Botanists.
References in Documents:
Pica marinaor
Fraterculaof
Anas arcticaof
Gallus gallinaceus peregrinusof
Cygnus cucullatusof
Avis
dronteof
Lomwiaof
Anas articaof
Alka, described in a letter from
, formed in theFungus lapideus
Saxeus niliof
Fungus lapideusfrom the
Fungus saxeusof
Lusitanicaerecta.
FrutexLusitanis
Ca
marinnasdictus
marinnas
Linscot. P. 4
Fig. 21. Lit. C.
AcacalisDi
oscoridis
Amato. Empetrum
Lusitan. Fruct. albo.
Elem. Bo
tan. 450. Instit.
tan
Rei Herb. 579.
EricaDurant. 171.
Fig. E.
7. Clus. Hisp. 117.
Fig. Lugd. 190.
Fig. baccifera tenui
folia
Tab.Ger. 1199. Fig.
bac. Fr. albo
Fig.
bac. Lusitan.
I B. l. 5. p. 528. c. 16. Fig.
prodr. 17.
pl. 4.
RayH. Pl. 1630. c. 4. pl. 1.
EricaCoris folio 10
Clus. Hist. 45. Fig.
erectabaccis candidis
C B. 486.
My
very curious FriendMr.
very curious Friend
gathered this about
bon
in the same place where
that greatBota
nist
first observed it.
Ignavus sive Pigritia. An Animal
of so slow a motion, that he will be three or four days,
at least, in climbing up and coming down a Tree. (c)c)
de Reb. Bras.
p. 222.
And to go the length of fifty Paces on plain ground, re
quires a whole day. (d) The Natives of
Haii, from his voice of a like d)
monly repeats about six times together,
descending, as if
one should sing, La, sol,
fa, mi, re, ut. (e)e)
takes hold of, he doth it so strongly (or, rather stifly) as
sometimes to
sleep securely while he hangs at it. (f)f)
Piso
his
Description in
They all seem to omit the length of his fore feet, which is
almost double to that of his hinder.
the Natives of
ARMADILLO; as Names common to the several
species. And by
LatinAuthors,
Echinus Brasiliensis. This
once belonged to the
of this
Speciesin
h)
Tatu Mustelinus. I find this
speciesno where describ'd.
For that Description of a third
speciesin
only from some Picture, no way answering to the Animal
before us.
As also in the
Musæumof
a rude half draught, and without any Description, as well
as the former.
had seen one of them.
a)
a)
l. 5. c. 8
but a very bad one. Else-where I find it not. He hath also
described him, but very defectively, and with several
mistakes.
Emen. Accurately described
by
Bill, almost like that of a Gooses, but not so broad. Next
to the
Ostrich, he is the greatest of Birds; and in Bulk little
inferior, but not near so tall. On the top of his Head, hath
a horny Crown, which falls off when he moulters, and
grows again with the Feathers. His Wings extream small.
The plumage of his Feathers so little, that he seems at
a distance to be hairy. Hath three Toes without a Heel, as
the
Bustard. Hath no Tail: which are his chief Marques.
He is brought from
others of the
worshipped,) called
MANUCODIATA, i. e. The
Bird of
come; and for their beauty. From his swift flight
to and again, the
Swallow.
and describes them all. The least kind,
the King.
Because (as he saith, from the report of the
flock, he always keeps
higher than the rest.) Besides the
smallness of his Body, in
respect to what his copious Plumes
shew him; the long Feathers
which grow upon his sides
under his Wings, and are extended
thence a great way
beyond his Tail; and the two long Strings
or Quills
which grow upon his Rump, do most remarkably
distin
guish him from all other Birds. He is
elegantly figur'd in
Chamæleon Æreus.
c)
Cygnus Cucullatus,
by
Gallus Gallinaceus Peregrinus;
by
Dronte;
who saith, That by some it is
called (in Dutch)
lughby
especially distinguished from other Birds by the Membra
nous Hood on his Head, the greatness and strength of
his
Bill, the littleness of his Wings, his bunchy Tail, and
the
shortness of his Legs. Abating his Head and Legs, he
seems to be much like an Ostrich; to which
also he
comes near, as to the bigness of his Body. He breeds
in
long; yet above five
in thickness, or round about the
Joynts: wherein, though it be
inferior to that of an
Ostrich or a Cassoary,
yet joyned with its shortness, may ren
der it of
almost equal strength.
Cygnus Cucullatus, by
Gallus Gallinaceus Peregrinus;
by
Dronte; who saith, That by some it is
called (in
Dutch)
lughby
especially distinguished from other Birds by the Membra
nous Hood on his Head, the greatness and strength of his
Bill, the littleness of his Wings, his bunchy Tail, and the
shortness of his Legs. Abating his Head and Legs, he
seems to be much like an
Ostrich; to which also he
comes near, as to the bigness of his Body. He breeds
in
long; yet above five in thickness, or round about the
Joynts: wherein, though it be inferior to that of an
Ostrichor a
Cassoary, yet joyned with its shortness, may ren
der it of almost equal strength.
Gua
numbi. By
numbi
. a Sun-beam; because ofClusius , Ourissia, i. e
his radiant-colours. By the
; beSpaniards , Tomineius
cause (
b)
b)
Læt
c. 7.
out of
J. Lerius
as
he from
he from
edus
Tomino's, a weight so called by the
of 12 Grains.
sorts of them.
the top of his
Breast, to the end of his Tail he is two inches
long. But his
Trunk or Body alone, is not above ¼ of an
inch in
length. The other Parts are answerable. His
colour various: on
his Wings and Tail, a dark-brown;
on his Belly, a
yellowish-Red; on his Breast, White; on
his Back, Green, mixed
with glorious golden Rays.
The Huming-Bird is every where ill pictur'd: even in
Mr.
those Birds, at least, whereof he had the sight, are most
a)
tus Gallus &
Linschot
l. 2. p. 249
curiously and exactly represented. He is said to have a
loud, or shrill and sweet Note, emulous of that of a Nightingale. (a)
He moves his Wings swiftly and continually,
whether flying, or
sitting on a Flower. (b) b)
Barb
thrusting his Bill into a
Flower, like a Bee. (c) For which
purpose c)
twice as long as his Bill.
Which
because he took his Description from the Picture
only.
to be so, as a Part more apt, by its length, and
flexibility,
to thrust and wind it self to the bottoms of the
deepest,
and most crooked Flowers: in which, and not the upper
and open parts of Flowers, it is, that the Honey-Dew
which these Birds, as well as Bees, do suck, is usually
lodg'd.
His Feathers are set in Gold by the the
Thrygians
d)
On. Zoic
at a great rate. (d) The
ficial Images. (e) e)
Orn
Sand shot at them out of a Gun. (f)
g)
as a thing known to himself, and many f)
of Barb
curious and credible men
with him in
are there a sort both of Caterpillars and of Butterflys, which g)
lib. 5
are transform'd into this Bird:
and that in the time of
Transformation, there is plainly to be
seen half a Caterpillar or
half a Butterfly, and half a Bird, both
together.
Nest of Cotton-Wooll, and layeth Eggs. That a Caterpiller should produce a
Bird; and a Butterfly too, the like;
and yet this Bird lay Eggs to produce its own kind, are
three
greater wonders than any thing that hath been said
of the Barnacle. But we will rather suppose these
men
were themselves deceived, than that they designed to de
ceive others.
Guara. By
LatinAuthors,
Numenius
Indicus, and
Indicus
Arcuata Coccinea. Given by Dr.
ton
About as big as a
Shoveler, long Leg'd, short Tail'd, with
a Bill slender, long, and crooked like a Sithe. But that
which is most remarkable, is the alteration of his colours,
being at first black, then ash-colour'd; next white, after that
scarlet, and last of all crimson, which grows the richer die,
the longer he lives. (
b)
b)
Læt
c. 13.
ness. For though he be no higher than a large Goose,
yet he weighs sometimes, saith
His Wings are extream short and little, altogether
unuse
ful for flight, but by the help whereof he
swims very
swiftly. See his Description at large in the same
Author;
as also in
a
more full Description of the Bill.
'Tis black; from the corners of his Mouth four inches
and
½ long. But the Horns, or horny portions, whereof
it
chiefly consists, are shorter; in the upper Beak, a little
more than three inches long; in the nether, two. Again,
in the
upper, it is obliquely prolonged from the Margins
to the
Forehead; contrariwise, in the nether, it is ob
liquely shorten'd from the Margins to that part under the
Tongue. The upper Beak is an inch high, between the
corners of
the Mouth as wide, but presently rises up into
a sharp Ridge.
Its Edges about the middle, a little con
vex; about
the end, concave and sharp. They are double
Grooved, sc. before and behind. In the end, 'tis
crooked.
The nether Beak behind as much over, as the upper;
towards the end, more compressed. Hollow like a Trough.
Its edges sharp, and convex before; behind, they are groov'd.
In the middle, it bunches out underneath. The upper Beak,
is
cut with seven or eight oblique and crooked Notches;
the
nether, with as many strait ones.
The height of the upper Beak; the sharpness, and the
extuberance of the lower; together with the grooved
derful strength. The three Grooves, as so many
Joynts,
keep the Beaks from distortion, when in case of
missing
the Prey, they are swifty and forceably clapt
together.
The sharp Edges of the nether Beak, serve instead of
Teeth.
The Bunch underneath, answers in some
measure, to the
strength of an Arch. The hight of the upper
Beak, to that
of a Board, when set upon its Edge.
The Penguin breeds in
land
therefore by Magellanick-Goose. They
work themselves,
as the Coney, deep Buries by the Sea
side.
(a)a)
us
ness. For though he be no higher than a large Goose,
yet he weighs sometimes, saith
His Wings are extream short and little, altogether
unuse
ful for flight, but by the help whereof he
swims very
swiftly. See his Description at large in the same
Author;
as also in
a
more full Description of the Bill.
Bottlenose, Coulterneb, Mullet
and
Pope. Anas Arctica Clusii. Hereof see
mius
Duck.
Their Bill is much like to that of a
Penguin, saving that
the Horn of the nether Beak is not shorten'd, as there, but
contrariwise obliquely prolonged from the Margins. 'Tis
also shorter, and answerably higher, and therefore rather
stronger. When they fight, they will hold by their Bills
so hard, as sometimes to break one anothers necks, be
fore they'l part. Whatever (
c)
c)
Orn.
disgorge a good part of it in the night into the mouths
of their Pullen. They breed in
Island, in the
in
Syllies; also in
and other places; laying their Eggs under ground.
Cancer Molucensis. The best
figure hereof is given by
Eyes; yet not so clearly as could be wished. Not ill de
scribed by
the fore part, he makes the hinder: and
like; and saith, it is plain, from the position of the Legs;
With both whom I agree. And to what
also add, the position of the Eyes; for from
Description
part of the
Crab. Here are eight or nine of them; the entirest
and largest, given by
made of
different Work. See one like to this in
nusb)
b)
c. 176.
About the Year 1599. the
turning from
Island there, by them called
then first discover'd
the same to
an inch and ½ broad in the middle, flat, and somewhat
sharp at both ends.
Bauhinus
Figure hereof both out of
Avellana Indica. 'Tis also curiously figur'd in
but with the same Name. And with the same, described
by
Nut.
Whereas in truth it is the Stone of a kind of Fruit like a
great
Peach, and bigger; in which there are commonly
two of these Stones.
with the mistaken Name of
Avellana Indica minor. And,
out of him, by
a)
a)
by (a) a)
254Calibash,
or perhaps a small Species thereof. It
is of an Orbicular-
Figure, and of the bigness of a little
Hand-Ball. Though
b)
b)
l. 11. c.
11
Diametre. The shell is thin and brittle. Originally fill'd
with a soft and juycy Pulp, in which a great many Seeds
of the
colour and bigness of an Apple-Kernel.
Coccus de Ma
ladiva. Tavarcare, in the Language of the Island. Described a)
Calceolar
by a)
out of
figur'd.
b)
b)
Aromaticæ,
c.
19
ther with a prolix Discourse hereof. They
are said to be
no where found, except upon the Sea-shore. Nor
is the
Tree it self to be seen any where in the Island. The entire
Nut, somewhat like a double Box, or a pair of Panniers.
This half, about a foot long, and near ½ a foot broad; a
kind of half Oval; yet flat on that side, where the two halfs
are conjoyn'd. The shell about ⅕th of an inch thick, and
as hard as that of a Coco-Nut. As black as a Coal. This
is empty; but originally they contain a
certain white Pulp,
of no great Tast.
Nut-kind, not
bigger than a Physical Pill; a little flattish
on that part
which grows to the Husk. Very hard. And
of a shining colour,
like that of red Coral. Described (b)b)
also by
Calceolarius's Musæum. (c)c)
Walnut. In length, an inch and ½; the
Base, an inch over.
Figur'd into a
kind of Convex Cone. Upon the Margins of
the three Holes in the Base, are finely spread a great many
small black Fibers; like the Fibrillæ of the Lig.
are
round about the Crystal Humour. See also
scription
hereof in Species are here
preserved.
Faufel.
Bauhinus
describes
and figures it out of
to me, to be the
Faufelit self in the Bud.
like this described and figur'd in
by the Name of
Calix cum Glande incluso maximus ex
Wingandecaow, i. e.
Wingandecaow
and ¼ Diametre, and the sides very thick; composed of a
great number of Scales, as the Empalement of a
Thistle,
and many other Flowers; but here very hard: of an Or
bicular Figure, only open at the top about the breadth of
½ an inch. The
Akornit self, little bigger than the com
mon sort. But their tast and substance may be more
grateful. For in
food. They steep, and boil them, and so eat them either
with Flesh or Fish.
Cedrus
Phænicea; although
Phænicea
Bacciferawere better, thereby
to distinguish it from the
Coniferousor great
Cedre. De
scribed by
Oxycedrus; from its
sharp-pointed Leaves. It grows wild in
The
Berrybigger than that of the lesser
Juniper, and of a
deep
Purple; with little knobs about it, and some resem
blance of Scales.
. Not ill describ'd byVirginea . Lobus ex Wingan
decaow
decaow
much above three inches and ½ long, an inch and ¼ broad,
and an inch thick.
Unciam densus, saith
ly; that word not expressing the Dimention, but closeness
or little porosity of a Body. There are some
Lobes,
saith
b)
b)
c. 22
Species, that are two or three times
the bigness of This.
Cat'sKidney;
having at the edge a shallow
Sinusor depressure where it
was fasten'd to the
Lobe. Described in
a)
a)
c. 1. p. 276
the Name of
is most likely, very improperly; This being so like the
Fruit of the Scallop'd
Lobeabove describ'd, which he him
self makes the Fruit of a Tree; Neither doth the Kernels,
its being naturally cleft into two halfs, (
ut sunt omnia Pha
seolacea, as
seolacea
not peculiar to the
Phaseolouskind; but all other Seeds
whatsœver, excepting Corn and that Kindred, are natu
rally cleft (
b)
b) See the
Authors
Book
Of
Plants, Chap.
Plants
1
Lobes. This Fruit is said
to be
Cathartick:and therefore 'tis probable, the other
Speciesare so likewise.
by
the Cod of a Tree which
grows about
in b)
b)
c. 154Lanifera Arbor peregrina. That
this Cotton is not so white as that
of
the Tree. 'Tis rather
of the colour of raw Silk, and hath
a
gloss like it; extream soft and fine, but not so long as
Cotton wooll; and therefore unfit for
Spinning.
Cistus,
mas; and the first in number, according to
mas
included in a shelly Cover of a Pentagonal Figure; and
is it self also angular, about the bigness of the Seed of
Patience, or
Lapathum Sativum.
in order according to
ventures
Piso .
Bauhinus
to call it
Bixam Oviedi; although
like it. In shape and bigness, saith
Aurange-
Tree. This Fruit is about two inches long, an inch and ½
over; composed of two Concave
Valves; below, Oval;
above, Conich and sharp-pointed; beset all over with
brisly hairs ⅙ of an inch long. Within their Concaves,
thirty or more little Grains, figur'd like a
Pear, and origi
nally of a curious bright red.
b) b)
2.
c. 18
of a brown Bay, and of a softish and light
substance;
the top, which is broadest, above three inches
over, and flat;
divided into about twenty round and open
Cells, almost
like an Honey-Comb. In
each Cell is contained a Bean or
Nut, alike colour'd, of an Oval shape, as big
as a small
Akorn, and in the same manner pointed at the
top. See
also the Figure in
s. Herbæ mimosæ.
There are several
Speciesdescribed by
That of
tast and smell of
Liquirish. This Seed is of a dark brown,
not much bigger than that of a Purple Stock, angular, and
frequently of a
RhomboidalFigure. It takes its Name (as is
commonly known) from its Imitation of sense or Animal
motion. For so soon as you touch the Leaves, they pre
sently fall, till they lie upon the ground. After a while, they
rise again; but being touched, fall as before.
Oak
described by
Sphærical Figure, with a few small
knobs here and there;
as big as a little Apple, sc. near two inches in Diametre.
Myriophyllum pelagium. s. Mus
cus maritimus silicis folio.
Clusius
cus maritimus silicis folio.
Spongia Infundibularis. De
scribed in some sort by
Figur'd by
Bauhinus,
two inches and ½ in height; the
Rim, near three inches
over. The sides about ⅛
thof an inch thick. Of a Tex
ture far more compact and close, than the common
Sponge. Yet the Surface all over wrought with little
round Pores, almost as in a
Poppy-Seed:in some places
visible to the naked eye, but better through a Glass. On the
inside, they are in some places a little bigger, and near the
Rimdisposed into short Rays. Its
Base, instead of a Root,
as in
Sea-Shrubs, is spread out upon a hard stone, to a con
siderable breadth.
by the Name of
Planta Saxea Abrotonoides. Of whom
'Tis white, and porous; especially the centre of every
Branch, in imitation of a Pith. The several Branches
we may call them,
Coral-Leaves, curiously striated round
about.
a)
A Discourse concerning theLarge Horns
frequently found under Ground in
Concluding from them that the greatAme
rican Deer, call'd a Moose,
was formerly
common in that Island: With Remarks on
some other things Natural to that Country.
By
By
M. D. Fellow of
the King and QueensColledge of Physicians
in
and of the
in
utterly extinct, as to be lost entirely out of the
World, since it was first Created, is the Opinion of
many Naturalists; and ’tis grounded on so good a
Principle of Providence taking Care in general of all
its Animal Productions, that it deserves our Assent.
However great Vicissitudes may be observed to attend
the Works of Nature, as well as Humane Affairs;
so that some entire Species of Animals, which have
been formerly Common, nay even numerons in cer
tain Countries; have, in Process of time, been so
perfectly lost, as to become there utterly unknown;
tho’ at the same time it cannot be denyed, but the
kind has been carefully preserved in some other part
of the World.
Of this we have a remarkable Example in
land
ly has been frequent in this Kingdom, tho’ now clear
mains among us not the least Record in Writing, or
any manner of Tradition, that makes so much as men
tion of its Name; as that most Laborious Inquirer in
to the pretended Ancient, but certainly Fabulous History of this Country, Mr.
thor of
What Discoveries therefore we make of this Crea
ture, we can only have from those loose parts of it we
find dug out of the Earth by Accident, preserved there
so many Ages from Corruption, by lying deep and
close under Ground, whilst harder and of themselves
more durable Bodies, moulder away and perish, by
being exposed to the various Changes of the Air, and
repeated Injuries of the Weather.
Remains we have of this Animal, it appears
to have been of the Genus Cervinum or Deer Kind, and
of that sort that carries Broad or Palmed Hornes,
bearing a greater affinity with the Buck or Fallow Deer,
than with the Stag or Red Deer, that has Hornes
round and branched, without a Palme; This I lately
observed, having an opportunity of particularly Ex
amining a compleat
perfect, not long since dug up, given to my Brother
Henry Osborn
the Meath
heda
ner and place they were found in.
I have by the Bearer sent the Head and Horns I
promised you; this is the third Head I have found
by casual trenching in my Orchard; they were all dug up
within the Compass of an Acre of Land, and lay about
four or five Foot under Ground, in a sort of Boggy Soil.
The first Pitch was of Earth, the next two or three of
Turff, and then followed a sort of white Marle, where
they were found: They must have lain there several Ages,
to be so deep enterred. (Thus far Osborn
I took their Dimensions carefully as follows; from
the extreme tip of the right Horn, to the extreme tip
of the left, as exprest in the annext Table, Figure the
first. by the prick’t Line A. B. was ten Foot ten Inches,
from the tip of the right Horn, to the Root where it
was fastned to the Head, Exprest by the Line C. D. five
Foot two Inches from the Tip of the highest Branch
(measuring one of the Horns transverse, or directly
across the Palme) to the tip of the lowest Branch, ex
prest by the Line G. F. Three Foot Seven Inches and
a Half. The length of one of the Palms within the
Branches, exprest by the Line G. H. Two Foot Six
Inches: The breadth of the same Palm, still within
the Branches, exprest by the Line I. K. One Foot Ten
Inches and a half: The Branches that shot forth round
the edge of each Palm, were Nine in Number, besides
the Brow Antlers, of which the right Antler, exprest
by the Line D. L. was a Foot and Two Inches in length,
the other was much shorter: The Beam of each Horn at
some distance from the Head, where ’tis mark’d M.
was about Two Inches and Six tenths of an Inch, in
Diameter, or about Eight Inches in Circumference;
at the Root where it was fastned to the Head, about
Eleven Inches in Circumference. The length of the
Head, from the back of the Skull to the tip of the
Nose, or rather the extremity of the upper Jaw-bone,
exprest in the Figure by the Line N. O. Two Foot,
the Line P.Q. was a Foot.
The Two Holes near the Roots of the Horns, that
look like Eyes were not so, (for these were placed on
each side the Head in Two ample Cavities, that could
not be well exprest in the Figure) but were large
open Passages, near an Inch in Diameter in the
Forehead Bone, to give way to great Blood-vessels,
that here issue forth from the Head, and pass between
the Surface of the Horn, and the smooth Hairy Skin
that Covers them whilst they are growing, (which is
commonly call’d the Velvet) to supply the Horns
with sufficient Nourishment, while they are soft, and
till they arrive at their full Magnitude, so as to become
perfectly hard and solid. These Vessels, by reason of
their largeness and great turgency of the Humor in
them; whilst the Horn is sprouting and pliant, make
deep and conspicuous furrows all along the outside of
it where they pass; which may plainly be seen after the
Horn is bare and come to its full growth; at
which time all these Veins and Arteries, with the out
ward Velvet Skin, drying by the Course of Nature,
shrivel up and separate from the Horn, and the Beast
affects tearing them off in great stripes against the Bows
of Trees, exposing his Horns naked, when they are
throughly hardned, without any Covering at all.
This I gather, by what Remarks I have made on the Skulls
of other Deer, and what I have observed concerning
the growth of these sort of Horns in Animals of the
like kind, tho' not in this particular sort of Crea
ture.
The Figure I had exactly taken by a skilful Hand, to
shew truly the right shape and size of these kind of
of common Stags Horns, exprest Figure the 2d. and
another of a pair of common Bucks Horns, exprest
Figure the 3d. all done according to the same Scale;
that by this means, at one and the same time, may
appear the grand disproportion between these sorts of
Heads, and also the difference and agreement in their
Shape. (See the Table.)
Such then were the vast Dimensions, according to
which the lofty Fabrick of the Head and Horns of
this stately Creature was Built; and doubtless all the
rest of the parts of its Body answered these in a due
proportion. So that should we compare the fairest
Buck with the Symetry of this mighty Beast, it must
certainly fall as much short of its Proportions as
the smallest young Fawn, compared to the largest
over-grown Buck.
And yet ’tis not to be question’d, but these spacious
Horns, as large as they were, like others of the Deer
Kind, were naturally cast every Year, and grew again
to their full Size in about the Space of Four Months:
For all Species of Deer, yet known, certainly drop
their Horns yearly, and with us ’tis about March, and
about July following they are full summ'd again. Of
which strange Appearance in Nature, the learned
dus Johannes Vossius
Book De Idololatriâ, Lib. 3. Cap. 57. has these Words:
a).
(a) That is, I shall reckon it among the most wonderful Works of
Nature, that Horns so hard and solid, and of so great a Bulk, should grow
up in so short a time.
in his &c. on the same
Occasion expresses himself thus:
miratione dignum est tantam Molem Cornuum & Ramorum
tam brevi tempore quotannis renasci & crescere(b).
And if these judicious Persons were moved thus with
Admiration by considering only the yearly Falling and
sudden Growth of these smaller Horns of Bucks and
Stags, with which alone they were acquainted, what
would they have thought, had they known of these
vast and stupendious Productions of Nature in the same
Kind.
As there seems to me no small Affinity or Agreement
in the Sprouting forth, and Branching of Deers Horns,
with the way of Growth in Vegetables; so I conceive
likewise the constant yearly dropping of them, to pro
ceed much from the same Cause, that Trees annually
cast their ripe Fruit, or let fall their withering Leaves
in Autumn: that is, because the nourishing Juice, say it
is Sap or Blood, is stopt and flows no longer; either
on the account ’tis now deficient, being all spent, or that
the cavous Passages which conveigh it, dry up and cools;
so as the Part having no longer any Communication
with, must of necessity by degrees sever from the Whole;
but with this Difference, that Horns by reason of their
hard Material and strong Composition, stick fast to the
Head by their Root, Seven or Eight Months after all
their Nourishment perfectly retires; whereas Leaves and
Fruit, consisting of a much more tender Substance and
a finer Texture of Parts, drop sooner from their native
(b) That is, Truly it deserves our greatest Wonder that so large a
Body of Horns and Branches should sprout up in so short a time, and be
renewed every Year.
Nourishment is stopt; this Analogy that Nature ob
serves in casting the Horns of Beasts and dropping the
Fruit of Trees, will appear much more evident to any
one that will observe the end of a Stalk, from which
a ripe Orange or any such large Fruit has been lately se
ver’d, and the Butt end of a cast Horn where it fasten'd
to the
shall find so great a Congruity in the shape of both,
that ’twill be apparent Nature works according to the
same Mechanism in one as in t’other.
Discoursing one Day with Excellency the Lord
CapellLord Justices of
perienc’d and accurate Observer of the Works of Nature,
I chanced to mention these Large Horns: He was very
earnest to see them, and so mightily surpris’d at the
sight of their extraordinary Bulk, that my Brother
thought fit to make a Present of them to his Lordship,
which he obligingly accepted; resolving to send them
over, as he said, to William
found some Years since by one Van DelureClare
sort of Marle, and were presented by him to the late
Ormond
valued them so highly for their prodigious largeness,
that he thought them not an unfit Present for the King,
and sent them for Charles the Second
who ordered them to be set up in the Horn-Gallery at
the rest of the large Heads both of Stags and Bucks
that adorn that Place, but this so vastly exceeds the lar
gest of them, that the rest appear to lose much of their
am lately informed, these with the other Heads are
since removed to the Guard-Room out of the Horn-
Gallery.
Folliot
ging for Marle near the Ballymackward
he lives, not far from Fermanagh
Ground, a Pair of these sort of
still in his Possession.
dug up near Barnevall
most compleat of the Two was fixt over the Chimney
in the
and lasting Curiosity to future Ages.
was found near Clanricard, seated on the Shannon
of Gallway
mired by all that view it.
Beams of
these Kind of Horns, may be now seen fastened against one
side of the Common Hall of his Grace Michael Lord
Archbishop of Ardmagh
are both imperfect and want their Palmes, yet by the
vast thickness and length of the Beams, I judge when
entire they much exceeded the Size of those I have gi
ven the Dimensions of above. The Primate told me,
they were found somewhere in the Province of EssexGrace.
To these I should add many more Instances of the
like, as Mountjoy
his House at Meath
ledge within less than Twenty Years, above Twenty,
I might safely say, Thirty Pair of these sort of Horns
have been dug up in several places of this Country, all
found by Accident; and we may well suppose vast
Numbers still remain undiscovered, but to mention any
more of them particularly would be tedious, and to lit
tle purpose, since these may suffice plainly to shew,
this Creature was formerly Common with us in
and an Indigenous Animal, not peculiar to any Territory
or Province, but universally met with in all parts of
the Kingdom.
For if we draw a Line through the several Places of
this Island where these Heads have been found, viz.
the ClareDublinFarmanagh
have mentioned, we shall make a Triangle whose
shortest Side will be in length above an Hundred English
Miles, which is near as large a Figure of this Sort, as
we can well describe in the Map of
And besides, we may reasonably, I think, gather;
That they were not only common in this Country, but
by what Osborn
ther, That they were a Gregarious Animal, as the Na
turalists call them, or such a sort of Creature as affect
naturally keeping together in Herds; as we see the Fallow Deer with us, and as 'tis reported of the Elches in
Rain Deer in the Northern Countries
of
should happen; that Three of their Heads should be all
found within the narrow Compass of one Acre of Ground.
That these and several others, and indeed I think I
may say, all that I have been particularly informed of,
though dug up in far distant Places of
be constantly found buried in a Sort of Marle, seems to
me to intimate, as if Marle was only a Soil that had
been formerly the Outward Surface of the Earth, but
in process of Time, being covered by degrees with ma
ny Layers of Adventitious Earth, has by lying under
Ground a certain Number of Ages, acquired a peculiar
Texture, Consistence, Richness, or Maturity that gives it
the Name of Marle. For of necessity we must allow
the Place where these Heads are now found, was cer
tainly once the external Superfice of the Ground;
otherwise ’tis hardly possible to suppose how they
should come there.
And that they should be so deep buried as we at pre
sent find them, appears to have happen’d, by their ac
cidentally falling where it was soft low Ground; so that
the Horns by their own considerable Gravity might
easily make a Bed where they setled in the yielding
Earth; and in a very long Course of Time, the higher
Lands being by degrees dissolved by repeated Rains, and
washt and brought down by Floods, covered those Pla
ces that were scituated lower with many Layers of
Earth: For all high Grounds and Hills, unless they
consist of Rock, by this means naturally lose a little
every Year of their Height; and sometimes sensibly
become lower even in one Age; of which we may see
several satisfactory Instances related by PlottNatural History of Staffordshire
as for all such Heads that might chance to fall on high
or hard Grounds, where they could not possibly be co
vered or defended, these must of necessity rot, perish,
and be destroyed by the Weather: And for this Reason
it is, that never any of these Horns are discovered in
such sort of Ground, but always in a light Soil, and
in some low Part of the Country.
By what means this Kind of Animal, formerly so
common and numerous in this Country, should now
become utterly lost and extinct, deserves our Conside
ration: and seeing it is so many Ages past, that we
have no manner of Account left to help us in our En
quiry, the most we can do in this Matter is to make
some probable Conjectures about it; I know some
have been apt to imagine this like all other Animals
might have beeen destroyed from off the Face of this
Country by that Flood recorded in the Holy Scripture
to have happened in the the time of
confess is a ready and short way to solve this Difficul
ty, but does not at all satisfy me: For (besides that
that there want not Arguments, and some of them not
easily answer’d, against the Deluge being Universal)
if we consider what a fragil, slight and porous Sub
stance these and the Horns of all Deer are, we can't
well suppose they could by any means be preserv’d en
tire and uncorrupt from the Flood, now above Four
Thousand Years since; and I have by me some of the
Teeth, and one of the lower Jaw-bones of this Crea
ture so perfect, solid, ponderous and fresh, that no one
that sees them can possibly suspect they could have been
in nature so many Ages past: And therefore it seems
more likely to me, this kind of Animal might become
extinct here from a certain ill Constitution of Air in
might occasion an Epidemick Distemper, if we may so
call it, or Pestilential Murren, peculiarly to affect this
sort of Creature, so as to destroy at once great Num
bers of 'em, if not quite ruine the Species.
And this is not so groundless an Assertion as at first
it may appear, if we consider this Island may very well
be thought neither a Country nor Climate so truly
proper and natural to this Animal, as to be perfectly
agreeable to its temper; since for ought I can yet learn
it neither is, nor ever has been an Inhabitant of any of the
adjacent Kingdoms round about us. And besides, the
Three Heads above mentioned, found so close to one
another in the Meath
as if these Animals dyed together in Numbers, as they
had lived together in Herds.
To this purpose I have met with a remarkable Pas
sage in Description of Lapland
speaking of the Cervus Rangifer, an Animal that agrees
in Kind with ours, though it be a quite different Sort
of Deer, he says that whole Herds of them are often
destroy’d by a Raging Distemper common among them;
these are his Words:
noxium qui si ingruant Gregem totum solent pervagare &
ad necem dare; qua de re Johannes Bureus ita habet in
Schedis suis, solet interdum Rangiferos morbus quidam
velut Pestis invadere sic ut moriantur omnes Lappoq;
compellatur novos sibi comparare Rangiferos(c). By
(c) That is, this Kind of Creature is likewise subject to its Diseases
which if they seize a Flock, goes through them all; concerning which
ter the manner of a Plague, affects the Rain Deer, so as they all dye, and
the Laplander is forced to supply himself with new Rain Deer.
which we may see what we conjecture in our Case, is
not meer Supposition, but certainly happens elsewhere
to Animals of the like Kind.
But since we have an Instance of so destructive a
Mortality among Beasts as quite to extinguish a whole
Species at once, we may think some might have esca
ped the Common Calamity; but these being so few in
Number, I imagine as the Country became peopled,
and thickly inhabited; they were soon destroy'd, and
kill'd like other Venison as well for the sake of Food as
Mastery and Diversion. And indeed none of these Ani
mals by reason of their Stupendious Bulk and Wide
Spreading Horns could possibly lye sheltered long in any
Place, but must be soon discovered, and being so con
spicuous and heavy were the more easily pursued and
taken by their numerous Hunters, in a Country all en
vironed by the Sea: For had they been on the wide
Continent they might have fared better, and secured
themselves and their Race till this time, as well as others
of the same Kind have done elsewhere. Of which
more hereafter.
Or had those Barbarous Times been capable of taking
Care for the Preservation of this stately Creature, our
Country would not have entirely lost so singular and
beautiful an Ornament: But this could not be expected
from those savage Ages of the World, which certainly
would not have spared the rest of the Deer Kind, Stags
and Hinds, Bucks and Does, which we still have; but
that these being of much smaller Size, could shelter
and conceal themselves easier under the Covert of
Woods and Mountains, so as to escape utter Destruction.
And here I cannot but observe, that the Red Deer
in these our Days, is much more rare with us in
land
ry of Man: And tho’ I take it to be a Creature, na
turally more peculiar to this Country then to
yet unless there be some care taken to preserve it, I be
lieve in process of time this Kind may be lost also,
like the other sort we were now speaking of.
It remains we should say something concerning the
Proper Name of this Animal, and what Species of
Creature it was to which these stately Horns formerly
belonged. And I must here needs own, that I have
not met to this Day with any Person, that has spent
the least serious thought concerning this matter. So
destitute have we been in this Place of that inquisitive
Genius, that in these later Ages has so much every
where prevailed, in setting the Minds of Men upon a
diligent search after, and making curious and useful
Remarks, on all things that are truly the admirable
Workmanship of Nature.
I know they are vulgarly call'd by ignorant Peo
ple, nay, and some of the learned Vulgus in this Coun
try, Elches Hornes; and that they are so, is an Opini
on generally received, and satisfies such as talk of
them Superficially, without further Enquiry; and be
cause this is an Error that has so Universally prevailed,
I shall take the more pains particularly to Confute it,
and I hope clear this point so from all manner of doubt,
that for the future there shall be no further questions
made of it again; the mistake, I am satisfied, has on
ly proceeded from hence, that we are in these parts
as great Strangers to that sort of Animal call'd the Alche Elche, or Elende, as we are to this of our own
Beast with big Horns; but unless we shall give the
same Name to Two Animals vastly different, which is
Preposterous and breeds Confusion, we must not al
low these Horns should any longer pass under the Name
of Elches Horns.
I have seen a Pair of genuine Elches Horns brought
out of Figure and Size, from these we have now described:
they were abundantly smaller, quite of another shape
and make, not Palmed or broad at the end farthest from
the Head as Ours; but on the contrary, broader to
wards the Head, and growing still narrower towards
the Tips end, the smaller Branches not issuing forth
from both Edges of the Horns as in Ours, but growing
along the upper Edge only, whilst the other Verge of
the Horn was wholly plain without any Branches at all.
And accordingly the faithful
ter of his Book
right Description of them, where he expresses the Fi
gure of the Elche and its Horns apart; and speaking of
the Size of them, he says,
ter Duodecem appendunt, longitudine fere duorum pe
dum(d). Whereas the Horns we find here in
are near thrice that Length, and above double that
Weight; though dry'd and much lighter from their be
ing so long kept: But I confess, I say, this only by esti
mate, not having an opportunity to weigh exactly a sin
gle Horn by itself, though I'm sure I can't be much out.
(d)That is, each Horn weighs about Twelve Pounds, and was in length
almost Two Foot.
Moreover the Elche, as described by
nabenus
a midling Horse: these
ted by Habet hoc Animal crassitiem &
proceritatem mediocris & pinguis Equi(e). And agree
able to this is the Relation given in the Memoirs of the
Parisian Anatomists, who dissected one of them: And I
remember Duncombe
ces of
he had seen there above a Hundred Elches together in
a Herd, and none of them above Five Foot high; and
if so, we cannot imagine a Creature of that small Size,
could possibly support so large and heavy a Head, with
so wide and spreading a Pair of Horns as these we are
speaking of; considering that exact Symetry, and due
Proportion of Parts, Nature observes in the Formation
of all the larger and perfecter sort of Animals.
We must then look out, and try if we can discover
among the various Species of Quadrupeds, some other,
whose Size and Description will better agree with this
our Irish Animal than that of the Elche does: And after
all our Inquiry, we certainly shan't discover any one
that in all respects exactly answers it, save only that
Lofty Horned Beast in the Moose.
This Animal I find described by John Josselyn
among his The
Moose Deer, common in these Parts, is a very goodly
Creature, some of them Twelve Foot high (in height, says
another Author more particularly, From the Toe of the
Fore foot to the Pitch of the Shoulder, Twelve Foot; in
(e) That is, this Animal is about the Height and Thickness of a mid
ling Horse.its full growth much bigger than an Ox) with exceeding
fair Horns with broad Palms, some of them Two Fathom
or Twelve foot from the Tip of one Horn to the other.
That is, Fourteen Inches wider than Ours was.
Another thus describes the Manner of the Indians
Hunting this Creature: They commonly hunt the Moose,
. Thus far what these Authors say of the
which is a kind of Deer, in the Winter, and run him down
sometimes in half, otherwhile a whole Day, when the
Ground is cover'd with Snow, which usually lyes here Four
Foot deep; the Beast, very heavy, sinks every Step as he
runs, breaking down Trees as big as a Man's Thigh with
his Horns, at length they get up with't, and
darting their Lances, wound it so, that the Creature
walks heavily on, till tired and spent with loss of Blood,
it sinks and falls like a ruin'd Building, making the Earth
shake under itMoose.
I do not know any one that has yet obliged the Pub
lick by giving an exact Figure of this stately Creature,
which would be acceptable to the Curious, and very
well worth the while of some of those ingenious Inqui
rers that go into those Parts for the improvement of
Natural History: for I take it next the Elephant, to be
the most remarkable Quadruped for its largeness in the
World. However, in the mean time, by the help of
the foregoing Accounts, we may easily form to our
selves a lively and just Idea of its Figure and Size;
and if we compare the several Parts of those Discripti
ons, with the Beasts whose heads are found here in
land
but these vastly large Irish Deer and the American Moose,
were certainly one and the same sort of Animal, being
all of the Deer Kind, carrying the same sort of Palmed
Horns, which are of the same Size and Largeness as well
Figure; and Bulk of their Bodies corresponding
exactly in Proportion to the wide spreading of their
Horns; So that we may securely assert, that Mooses
formerly were as frequent in this Country, as they have
them still in the Northern Parts of the New England, Virginia, Maryland, Canada or
And least we may think this Animal peculiar to the
Continent, and not to be found in Islands; I lately met
with a remarkable Passage in French Description of the
trary; which, because it likewise illustrates and con
firms what was said before, I'll set down in his own
Words. Speaking of I'l y a
. That is,
une certaine sorte de Beste frequente en ces Pais que les
sauvages noment Mose, de la grandur d'un Taureau, ayant
la Teste d'un Dain, avec les cornes larges que muent tous
les anns, le Col comme une cerf: il se trouve une grande
quantite de ces animaux en une Isle pres de la Terre Fer
me appelle des Anglois Mount ManselThere is
a certain sort of Beast common in this Country, which the
savage Indians call a Moose, as big as a Bull (he had not
seen I suppose those of the largest Size) having the
Head of a Buck, with broad Horns, which they cast every Year, and the Neck of a Deer: there are found also
great Numbers of these Animals in an Island near the Continent call'd by the English,
This may give us reasonable grounds to believe, that
as this Island of
Communication with the Main Land of
have been thus plentifully stockt with this sort of Beast;
so
Ages, long before the late Discovery of that New World,
had some sort of Intercourse with it likewise, (though
'tis not easy, I acknowledge, for us at present to explain
how) for otherwise I do not see, how we can conceive
this Country should be supply'd with this Creature, that
for ought I can yet hear, is not to be found in all our
Neighbourhood round about us, nay, perhaps in any
other Part of
as Old
World; so 'tis nearest of any Country to the most Eastern
Parts of the New-Canada, New-England, Virginia, &c.
the great Tract of Land, and the only one I yet know,
remarkable for plenty of the Moose-Deer.
And we may observe yet farther, That a sort of Alli
ance between these Countries of
dies
partake both in common. Bermudas
ble Quantities of Amber-greese; so on the Western Coast
of
and the Arran
parcels of that precious Substance, so highly valued for
its Perfume. In the Year Constantine
Apothecary of Amber
-greese found near
ces; he bought it for Twenty Pound, and sold it in
don
'twas of a close compact Substance, Blackish and shining
like Pitch; but when it was cut the inside was more
porous, and something of a Yellowish Colour, not so
Grey, close and smooth as the cleanest and best sort of
Amber; but like it, speckled with whitish Grains, and
of a most fragrant Sent; I have still a
that weighs above Six Drams
Three or Four other sorts of Amber, all found on that
Coast of
of a perfect White Substance, exactly answering the De
scrption of that sort of Amber,
ons in his
bræ Grifeæ nondum maturæ
Nor is the kind of Whale-Fish that's often taken in
ger to the Coast of
we may properly, I think, with CharletonTeeth, fixt
only in the lower Jaw; to distinguish it from that Species that gives the Whale Bone, most naturally named
by
its bearded, horny
of which kind likewise there have been Three or Four
stranded in my time; but on the Eastern Coast of this
Country that regards
This
ClusiusExotics
under the Name of
figured by
the 42d. and by
the 1st. but by both under the too general Name of the
my Knowledge, in the Space of Six Years, all on the
Western Coast of this Country; one near
the AntrimShip-harbour, in
the DonnegallAugust,
Seventy one Foot long, exceeding that described by
And then it was, I had an Opportunity of truly in
forming my self what sort of Substance
and in what Part of the Whale 'tis found: concerning
which Matter, Physicians and Naturalists have given the
World such various and false accounts; and 'tis truly
nothing else, but part of the Oyl or liquid Fat of this
particular sort of Whale; which Oyl, at first when
confused and mixt, shews it self like a Whitish Liquour,
of the Consistence and Colour of Whey; but lay'd by in
Vessels to settle; its parts by degrees separate, that
which is lighter and swims a top, becomes a clear Oyl
pellucid like Water, serviceable for all the uses of com
mon Train-Oyl, got out of the Blubber of other Whales,
and that which subsides, because 'tis heavier and of a
closer Consistence, candies together at the Bottom, and
is what is sold for
Pound; when 'tis throughly blanched and refined from
all its filth and the remaining parts of the Oyl, that
otherwise discolours it, and gives it a rancid offensive
Sent. Of this Substance several Hundred Pound
Weight may be gotten out of one Whale, but the clean
sing and curing of it is troublesom, and requires no small
Art, Time and Charge; which occasions the value of
that which is througly refined: The Fat of the whole
Body affords it, but that of the Head gives the great
est Quantity and purest
I have some reason to believe to these Instances of the
Moose Deer, Amber-greese and
rope
we may likewise add some of our more rare Spontaneous
Plants, because they are found growing only in those
Western Parts of
Country, or any of the Neighbouring Kingdoms about us.
I shall mention but Two or Three of many which I
have been told are peculiar to those parts, because I am
not yet well assur'd of the certainty of the others being
so: and those are the Strawberry Tree; not to be found any where of Spontaneous Growth nearer than the most Southern Parts of
France, Italy and
but as a Shrub: whereas in the Rocky Parts of
the Kerry
of the same Lough, where the People of the Country
call it the Cane Apple, it flourishes naturally to that De
gree, as to become a large tall Tree.
in his Observations
takes notice, it does so in Athos
and
thing extraordinary, for saying the
high Tree in
are frequently Four Foot and a half in Circumference,
or Eighteen Inches in Diameter, and the Trees grows
to about Nine or Ten Yards in Height; and in such
plenty that they now cut them down, as the chief Few
el to melt and refine the Ore of the Silver and Lead
Mine, lately discovered near the RossKerry
The other Plant I shall take Notice of is
sive Sedum serratum Latifolium Montanum guttato flore
Parkinsoni & RaiiLondon Pride: I suppose because of its pretty elegant
Flower; that viewed near at hand and examined close
ly, appears very beautiful, consisting of great Variety
of Parts: The whole Plant is most accurately described
by that profound Naturalist
PlantarumPlanta in Hortis
nostris frequentissima est, ubi tamen Sponte oritur nobis
Nondum constat, est autem proculdubio Montium incola(f).
Though he knew no certain place where it grew Spontaneous, not having met with it in all his Travels; nor
any Author mentioning its native Country, yet he
rightly conjectures 'tis a Mountainous Plant, for it grows
plentifully here with us in
the
reputed the highest in KillarnyRoss
great part of the Mountain, and for as much as I un
derstand, like the
alone.
Whether both the foregoing Plants are truly American, I cannot at present determine, but this I know,
that Common Savin is mentioned
by Josselyn
common on the Hills of
assured by an Apothecary of this Town, that he has ga
thered Savin growing wild as a native Shrub in one of
the Islands of County of Kerry
if so, I have reason to believe, that hereafter farther In
quiry may add to these I have given, several other Ex
amples of Things Natural and Common to that and
this Country.
But to leave these Digressions and return to our
Large Irish Deer, which well deserves we should affix
to it some Characteristick Note or Proper Name,
(f) That is, 'tis a Plant common in our Gardens; but where it grows
naturally is not as yet known to us, but certainly 'tis an Inhabitant of the
Mountains.
whereby it may stand ranged hereafter in its right Place
in the History of Animals: since Nature her self seems
by the Vast Magnitude and Stately Horns, she has gi
ven this Creature, to have singled it out as it were, and
shewed it such regard, with a design to distinguish it
remarkably from the common Herd of all other smaller
Quadrupeds. Naturalists have rais'd much Dispute,
what Beast it truly is, that has had the Name given it
by some of them, of
nabenusElche;
would have it the Bisons of
t'other, or neither, I shan't determine; nor do I the
least suspect that this our Animal was meant by it;
however, for its goodly Size and lofty Stature, and to
retain something of an Old Appellation, I think it may
very well lay claim to it, and not improperly be call'd,
nibus Palmatis, incolis Novæ Anglæ & Virginiæ, ubi
frequens, Moose dictum
Coulter-
Neb, or
Neb
sPuffin . Clusius '
Anas Arctica, a Sea-Fowl, yet found alive
upon the Moors near
Threapland.
very rare Foreign ones collected by my honoured Friend
John
Nicholson
Nicholson
merate some of those that I take to be more rare, as they occur in
the Book,
Geranium Creticum
CandiaCranes-Bill;
Brassica marina,
Sea Colwort;
Argemone lutea Cambro-Britannica, yellow, wide Bastard-
Poppy of
Urtica Romana,
Nettle;Roman
Lamium America
num, Archangel of
num
America ;
Clematis Panoniæ, Bush-bower;
Hormi
num Clusii,
num Clusii,
's wild Clary;Clusius
Nigella Romana,
Fennel FlowRoman
er;
Rubarbfrom
Candia;
Flamula Jovis,
LadyVirginian
Bower;
Lysimachia lutea Virginiana,
's Tree Primrose;Tradescant
Geni
sta Hispanica,
sta Hispanica,
Broom;Spanish
Flos Adonis,
's Flower;Adonis
Cancalis
Hispanica,
Hispanica,
Bastard Parsley; yellowSpanish
Gum Succory;
Faba Veterum,
Bean;Greek
Cerinthe Plinii,
's redPliny
Honey Wort;
Nasturtium Indicum;
American strange white Dasy; Spanish
Catchfly;
Catchfly;
Thlaspi Dioscoridis; Mentastrum tuberosum Clusii, Horminum
Creticum; Lychnis Chalcedonica, or single White Flower of
Creticum; Lychnis Chalcedonica
Constanti
nople
nople
LysimachiaVirginiana maxima; Melilotus Italica ; Flos Africa
nus minor; Cnicus Clusii; Scabiosa Indica; Lychnis viscosaItalica ; Tele
phium legitimum Imperati; Betonica major Daniæ; Noli me tangere vel
Persicaria Siliquosa; Impatient codded Arsmart; PalangiumVirginianum
Tradescanti
Aurea Arnoldi; Pimpinella America; Cicularia Palustris; Panax Coloni;
Linaria Alpina; Cacalia Americana; Melissa Molucca; Agnus Castus;
Doronium Americanum; Dulcamara Virgin. Absynthium Austriacum; Oxis
Indica; Plumbago Plinii; Melissa Turcica; Eryngium Monspeliense; So
lanum magn. Virg. Eupatorium Amerc. ResedaItalica ; Aster Virginia
nus; Petrosolinum Macedonicum; Balsamina fœmina; Doria Virg. Cirium
Montanum; Scabiosa Indica; Botrys Americana; Seseli Æthiopicum fru
tex; Jasminum Americanum; Halinus Latifolius; Mentha Germanica;
Amomum Virginian. Phalangium Creticum; Polium montanum album;
Lobus Creticus; Hedera Virginianatwo Sorts;
nus minor; Cnicus Clusii; Scabiosa Indica; Lychnis viscosa
phium legitimum Imperati; Betonica major Daniæ; Noli me tangere vel
Persicaria Siliquosa; Impatient codded Arsmart; Palangium
Tradescanti
Aurea Arnoldi; Pimpinella America; Cicularia Palustris; Panax Coloni;
Linaria Alpina; Cacalia Americana; Melissa Molucca; Agnus Castus;
Doronium Americanum; Dulcamara Virgin. Absynthium Austriacum; Oxis
Indica; Plumbago Plinii; Melissa Turcica; Eryngium Monspeliense; So
lanum magn. Virg. Eupatorium Amerc. Reseda
nus; Petrosolinum Macedonicum; Balsamina fœmina; Doria Virg. Cirium
Montanum; Scabiosa Indica; Botrys Americana; Seseli Æthiopicum fru
tex; Jasminum Americanum; Halinus Latifolius; Mentha Germanica;
Amomum Virginian. Phalangium Creticum; Polium montanum album;
Lobus Creticus; Hedera Virginiana
Meum Italicum; Larusti
nus Lusitanica; Rhus Choriaria; Ficus Indica(
nus Lusitanica; Rhus Choriaria; Ficus Indica
),Indian Fig
Ischæmon
Indicum; Origanum Canadense; Thlaspi supinum Creticum; Sena Indica
vera; Scorpoides Mathioli; Chrysanthemum Valentinum; Doronicum majus
Officinarum; Hyosciamus Creticus; Aparine major Plinii; Arbor Vitæ;
Indicum; Origanum Canadense; Thlaspi supinum Creticum; Sena Indica
vera; Scorpoides Mathioli; Chrysanthemum Valentinum; Doronicum majus
Officinarum; Hyosciamus Creticus; Aparine major Plinii; Arbor Vitæ
(3 & 4
Holostium Mathioli; Gramen Pernassi; Anagallis aquatica Lobelii
Holostium Mathioli; Gramen Pernassi; Anagallis aquatica Lobelii
Sorts);
Thlaspi fruticosum insanum Mechlen; Lotus arbor(
Nettle Tree);
; two Sorts of
Anthillis Hispanica
Anthillis Hispanica
Scorpion Grass;
Arbor Judæ(
;)
Tree
Tree
Hypericum Lobelli; Pomum amoris; Melissa molucca; Apocynum
Americ. Jasminum Americ. Syringa alba; Alsine bac.Virginiana ; Locusta
Americ. Jasminum Americ. Syringa alba; Alsine bac.
(
the Locust Tree);
Aster racemosus Virg. muscus Cupressi; Alcea Cretica;
Libanontis(
Libanontis
Herb Frankincence)
Natrix Plinii; Mirabile Peruvianum;
Tragoriganum Creticum; Trachelinum Americ. Jasminum Catalonicum;
Nux Staphyllodendrum; Herba mimosa(
Tragoriganum Creticum; Trachelinum Americ. Jasminum Catalonicum;
Nux Staphyllodendrum; Herba mimosa
Sensible Plant;)
Trifolinm fragi
ferum,
ferum
Goodyer
Marsh-Saxifrage; TheIrish
Strawberry Tree; Her
ba Paris, with five Leaves.
ba Paris
Corallina Opuntiodes, and the Corallina
major, called also
from the Fashion; both
from Arbuscula Coralloides of Jab. Cay M
D.
of the Coralline Corallina alba, discovered by the
ingenious WardWarted Sea-wrack, with greater
and lesser Bags, or Vesicular Knobs.
... pounced
long, part folded up; it grows upon a Rock, or rather is
fast
ned to it, for they receive no Nourishment from the Rock, but the
Sea Water, and
such Nutritive Bodies as it is impregnated with.
.Clusius his
white Wormwood
white Wormwood
balum Plinii.
great spreading
Chickweed.
Chickweed
.Galens Mad
wort according toClusius
wort according to
.Galens Mad
wort according toClusius
wort according to
his small As
phodill.
phodill
hisSpanish
milke Vetch.
milke Vetch
Chrysanthem
sii,
true Oxeye, or
hisSpa
nish Corne Marigold.
nish
his red
mountain Avens.
mountain Avens
.Clusius his
Centory
Centory
sweet
bearing Cistus.
bearing Cistus
sweet Cistus with black poplar
leaves.
leaves
sweet
gumme Cistus with hoary
leaves.
gumme Cistus with hoary
leaves
sweet
Cistus with hoary rough or
Rosemary-leaves.
Cistus with hoary rough or
Rosemary-leaves
Cistus with the
smaller Olive leaves.
smaller Olive leaves
the greaterHun
garian Climer, with blew
flower.
garian
flower
the German hoa
ry tree Trefoyle.
ry tree Trefoyle
long-leafed
Austrian Cytisus.
.Clusius his
strange Rocket
strange Rocket
.Clu
sius 's whale Iacynth
sius
large Flower de
luce ofClusius .
luce of
.Clusius his white
Flower de luce
Flower de luce
.Clusius his blew
Flower de luce
Flower de luce
.Hungarian
upright Wood
bine.
bine
Savoy Spi
der-wort.
der-wort
ever-green
Sene of Valentia.
Sene of Valentia
.Clusius his
Spanish Scabious
.Clusius his
Spanish Scabious
.Clusius his Indi
an Scabious
an
.Clusius
hisHungarian Figwort
his
.Clusius
hisHungarian Figwort
his
strange
hatchet Vetch.
hatchet Vetch
.Clusius 's Spa
nish silver Knapweed
nish silver Knapweed
.Clusius 's Spa
nish silver Knapweed
nish silver Knapweed
.Clusius his
strange Meadesweet
strange Meadesweet
Leonard Baltner, a Fisherman of Strasburgh, a Rhene near that City, as also all the
Fish and Water-Insects found there, drawn with great curiosity and exactness by
an excellent hand. The which Fowl, Fishes, and Insects the said Baltner had himself taken, described, and at his own
proper costs and charges caused to be drawn. Which curiosity is much to be
admired and commended in a Person of his Condition and Education. For my part, I
must needs acknowledge that I have received much light and information from the
Work of this poor man, and have been thereby inabled to clear many difficulties,
and rectifie some mistakes in Nurenberg
in Germany he bought a
large England as beyond the
Seas, to be drawn by good Artists.
Thomas Brown, Professor of Physick in
the City of Norwich,
frankly communicated the Marggravius's,
and some out of Clusius his Exotics,
Piso
his Natural History of the West Indies, and
Bontius his of the East.
TheDodo,
called byClusius Gallus gallinaceus peregrinus,
byNieremberg Cygnus cucullatus,
byBontius Dronte.
, primary Professor of Physic in thePeter Pawius
Leyden
Walghvogel,that is, a nauseous, or yellowish bird: Partly because after long boyling its fleshbecame not tender, but continued hard, and of a difficult concoction; excepting the Breast and Gizzard, which they found to be of no bad relish; partly because they could easily get many
Turtle-Doves,which were much more delicate and pleasant to the Palate. Wherefore it was no wonder that in comparison of those they despised this, and said they could well be content to be without it. Moreover they said, that they found certain stones in its Gizzard:
And no wonder, for all other birds as well as these swallow stones, to assist them in grinding their meat.Thus far
Clusius .
The Birds of this kind, found in the Islands of the strait of
Hollanders from their fatness called Penguins. [I
find in TerriesPenguin in the Welsh Tongue
signifies a white head, I rather think the Bird was so called from
its white head; though I confess that our Penguin hath not a white
Head, but only some white about the Eyes.] This (saith Clusius) is a
Sea-fowl of the Goose-kind, though unlike in its Bill. It lives in
the Sea; is very fat, and of the bigness of a large Goose, for the
old ones in this kind are found to weigh thirteen, fourteen, yea,
sometimes sixteen pounds; the younger eight, ten, and twelve. The
upper side of the body is covered with black feathers, the under
side with white. The Neck (which in some is short and thick) hath as
it were a ring or collar of white feathers. Their skin is thick like
a Swines. They want Wings, but instead thereof they have two small
skinny sins, hanging down by their sides like two little arms,
covered on the upper side with short, narrow, stiff feathers,
thick-set; on the under side with lesser and stiffer, and those
white, wherewith in some places there are black ones intermixt;
altogether unfit for flight, but such as by their help the birds
swim swiftly. I understood that they abide for the most part in the
water, and go to land only in breeding time, and for the most part
lie three or four in one hole. They have a Bill bigger than a
Ravens, but not so Geesefeet, but not so broad.
They walk erect, with their heads on high, their fin-like Wings
hanging down by their sides like arms, so that to them who see them
afar off they appear like so many diminutive men or Pigmies. I find
in the Diaries [or Journals of that Voyage] that they feed only
upon fish, yet is not their flesh of any ungrateful relish, nor
doth it taste of fish. They dig deep holes in the shore like
Conyburroughs, making all the ground sometimes so hollow, that the
Seamen walking over it would often sink up to the knees in those
vaults. These perchance are those Geese, which Gomora saith are
without feathers, never come out of the Sea, and instead of feathers
are covered with long hair. Thus far Clusius, whose description
agrees well enough to our Penguin; but his figure is false in that
it is drawn with four toes in each foot.
Olaus Wormius*
cap. 19. Clusius his description adds of his own observation as
followeth. Goose. It
would swallow an entire Herring at once, and sometimes three
successively before it was satisfied. The feathers on its back were
so soft and even that they resembled black Velvet. Its Belly was of
a pure white. Above the Eyes it had a round white spot, of the
bigness of a Dollar, that you would have sworn it were a pair of
Spectacles, (which Clusius observed not) neither were its Wings of
that figure he expresses; but a little broader, with a border of
white.
Whether it hath or wants the back-toe neither Clusius nor Wormius in
their descriptions make any mention. In Wormius his figure there
are no back-toes drawn.
This Bird exceeding the rest of this kind in bigness justly challenges the first place among them.
The Birds of this kind, found in the Islands of the strait of
Hollanders from their fatness called Penguins. [I
find in TerriesPenguin in the Welsh Tongue
signifies a white head, I rather think the Bird was so called from
its white head; though I confess that our Penguin hath not a white
Head, but only some white about the Eyes.] This (saith Clusius) is a
Sea-fowl of the Goose-kind, though unlike in its Bill. It lives in
the Sea; is very fat, and of the bigness of a large Goose, for the
old ones in this kind are found to weigh thirteen, fourteen, yea,
sometimes sixteen pounds; the younger eight, ten, and twelve. The
upper side of the body is covered with black feathers, the under
side with white. The Neck (which in some is short and thick) hath as
it were a ring or collar of white feathers. Their skin is thick like
a Swines. They want Wings, but instead thereof they have two small
skinny sins, hanging down by their sides like two little arms,
covered on the upper side with short, narrow, stiff feathers,
thick-set; on the under side with lesser and stiffer, and those
white, wherewith in some places there are black ones intermixt;
altogether unfit for flight, but such as by their help the birds
swim swiftly. I understood that they abide for the most part in the
water, and go to land only in breeding time, and for the most part
lie three or four in one hole. They have a Bill bigger than a
Ravens, but not so Geesefeet, but not so broad.
They walk erect, with their heads on high, their fin-like Wings
hanging down by their sides like arms, so that to them who see them
afar off they appear like so many diminutive men or Pigmies. I find
in the Diaries [or Journals of that Voyage] that they feed only
upon fish, yet is not their flesh of any ungrateful relish, nor
doth it taste of fish. They dig deep holes in the shore like
Conyburroughs, making all the ground sometimes so hollow, that the
Seamen walking over it would often sink up to the knees in those
vaults. These perchance are those Geese, which Gomora saith are
without feathers, never come out of the Sea, and instead of feathers
are covered with long hair. Thus far Clusius, whose description
agrees well enough to our Penguin; but his figure is false in that
it is drawn with four toes in each foot.
Olaus Wormius*
cap. 19. Clusius his description adds of his own observation as
followeth. Goose. It
would swallow an entire Herring at once, and sometimes three
successively before it was satisfied. The feathers on its back were
so soft and even that they resembled black Velvet. Its Belly was of
a pure white. Above the Eyes it had a round white spot, of the
bigness of a Dollar, that you would have sworn it were a pair of
Spectacles, (which Clusius observed not) neither were its Wings of
that figure he expresses; but a little broader, with a border of
white.
Goose. It would swallow an entire
Herringat once, and sometimes three successively before it was satisfied. The feathers on its back were so soft and even that they resembled black Velvet. Its Belly was of a pure white. Above the Eyes it had a round white spot, of the bigness of a Dollar, that you would have sworn it were a pair of Spectacles, (which
observed not) neither were its Wings of that figure he expresses; but a little broader, with a border of white.Clusius
Whether it hath or wants the back-toe neither Clusius nor Wormius in
their descriptions make any mention. In Wormius his figure there
are no back-toes drawn.
The greatest speckled Diver or Loon:Colymbus maximus caudatus; Mergus max. Farrensis five Arcticus,
Clus .
That which Clusius described was bigger
than a tame Goose, or at least equal to
it. For from the Neck, where it joyns to the Breast, to the Rump
it was two foot long. The compass of the body round was more
than two foot. The Wings were fourteen inches long: The Tail
scarce three: The Tongue almost three: The Bill more than four:
The Neck near eight, and somewhat more in compass: The Head
short, three inches broad: The Legs somewhat longer than three
inches: The Feet four inches wide. So far
Clusius,
Of that which Mr. Venice
the measures were as followeth: The weight thirty six ounces:
The length from Bill to Claws thirty one inches; from Bill to
Tail twenty eight. The Bill from the tip to the angles
of the mouth was almost three inches long: The Tail two: The
second bone of the Leg four and a quarter; the third two and an
half; the outmost fore-toe three inches and an half. The Tongue
long, sharp, having a transverse bed of asperities not far from
the bottom, beneath which it is toothed on each side, as this
figure represents. Clusius was bigger than ours.
But perchance Clusius
his was a Cock, ours a Hen. For those I saw at Dr.
Hewleys and
Mr. Darleys
were nothing at all less than
that of Clusius,
sent him by Hoier
writes of them, that they cannot fly at all, is
a mistake; for though they never breed in
England,
yet in hard Winters they come over hither. I
scarce believe they swim so far. Whence it is manifest, that
they not only flie, but make great flights.