The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Guillaume Rondelet (1507 - 1566)
Alias Rondeletius [Alias]
as Authority - early modern - Libri de piscibus marinis in quibus verae piscium effigies expressae sunt.
as Subject of/in a document - The Art of Natural History: Animal Illustrators and Their Work .
References in Documents:
Cavallo
marino.
Chiocciolaof
Orecchia marinaof
um. Chama Glycymerides magna Rond. Concha dondroides s. arborigena
m
ũ. De Chamâ Glycymeride mag. Rond.
Conchiglia della
madreperlaof
Madreperlaof
Concha della rugataof
a. Rondeletij.
I received your courteous letter; and with all re
spects
I now again salute you.
last year one was taken of about two hundred pounds weight.
sticking close unto their gills, whereof I send you
In your Pinax I find
mean those at St. James's, or others brought over, or such as
have been taken or killed here, I know not.
up in
7 Bait for codling.-G. 8 The Garrulous Roller.
9 Not uncommon; I had a young one brought me a few years ago.-G.
1 It is becoming scarce at G.
four years ago; and because it was so rare, some conjectured
it might be one of those which belonged unto the king, and
flew away.
marsh, eight miles off; another shot, whose case is yet to be
seen.
rarity upon the coast of
known them taken asleep under the cliffs.
brought to me.
seal; as having a rounder head, a shorter and stronger body.
and Xiphias, or
seas.
entangled in the herring-nets.
length.
Among the whales you may very well put in the
tus
in
on our shore, near
chapter in the last edition of my "Pseudodoxia Epidemica;"
and another was, divers years before, cast up at
both whose heads are yet to be seen.
Ophidion, or, at least,
sting-fish, having a small prickly fin running all along the back,
and another a good way on the belly, with little black spots at
the bottom ofthe back fin. If the fishermen's hands be touch
ed
or scratched with this venomous fish, they grow painful and
swell. The figure hereof I send you in colours. They are com
mon
about
of
the fins spread; and when it was fresh taken, and a large
one.
have seen much larger, which fishermen have brought me.
2 The Stork.
3 Very rarly seen at G 4 Frog-fish
shrunk and lost the colour. When I took it upon the seashore,
it was full and plump, answering the figure and description
of
end of
motion, except of contraction and dilatation. When it is fresh,
the prickles or bristles are of a brisk green and amethist co
lour.
Some call it a sea-mouse.
lus
barbatus ruber miniaceus
rough, and but dry meat. There is of them major and minor,
resembling the figures in
sorts.
major
as it may be called; much answering the description of
rus
erell.
stonus
the
whole draught in picture. This kind is much more near
than the other, which are common, and is a rounder fish.
sea-sands, and are digged out at the ebb for bait.
somewhat bigger than a stint, which cometh in May, or the
latter end of April, and stayeth about a month. A marsh
bird, the legs and feet black, without heel; the bill black,
about three quarters of an inch long. They grow very fat,
and are accounted a dainty dish.
a woodcock colour, and paned somewhat like a hawk, with a
bill not much bigger than that of a titmouse, and a very wide
throat; known by the name of a dorhawk, or preyer upon
beetles, as though it were some kind of
In brief, this
5 I have seen a sea-mouae taken out of a cod-fish, but thev are not common at
vesperam volans, ovum speciosissimum excludens
spoke to a friend to shoot one; but I doubt they are gone over.
have observed in these parts, as I travelled about.
me it was kept in
only one
barking note; a long made bird, of white and blackish colour;
fin-footed; a marsh-bird; and not rare some times of the year
in Marshland. It may upon view be called,
nostras
pretty shrill note; not hard to be got in some parts of
ten miles off, four years ago. It may well be called the par
rot jay, or
much faded. If you have it before, I should be content to
have it again; otherwise you may please to keep it.
some
which I have seen have the tail tipt with yellow, which is not
in their description.
five years ago.
you, I do not find the figure in any book.
about the first part of September. I have observed them so
numerous upon plashes in the marshes and marish ditches,
6 The Golden Eagle.
8 The Waxen Chatterer.
7 The Garrulous Roller.
9 Marshy.
that, in a small compass, it were no hard matter to gather a
peck of them.
but the greatest part are scattered, lost, or given away. For
memory's sake, I wrote on my box
nales
as it may be called; much answering the description of
rus
nentibus consitus.
Found in theChalk-pits
neer
and
call'd there
call'd there
.Rings
N. B.
and most other writers ofNatural History,
have neitherFigured
these
Serpents, Lizards, &c.
well, nordescribed
them clear
ly: so that I have chose rather to distinguish them here by
shortDescriptive Names,
ly: so that I have chose rather to distinguish them here by
short
than to annex doubtful references to them.
e)
What Phænicopter, That he
moves the upper Jaw or Beak, I have observed, saith
miusa)a)
Homine
cited by
That the cause is not so
manifest, as in the Crocodile:
yet shews not, in what respect. Hereof see Sect. 2.
Chap. 3
Xiphias. By
the
. He is pretty well described byBrasilians , Araguagua
yards. The Sword, which grows level from the Snout
of the Fish, is here about a yard long, at the
Basisfour
inches over, two edged, and pointed exactly like a Rapier.
He preys on Fishes, having first stab'd them with this
Sword. (
a)
a)
Onom. Zoic
Whale, saith
Fish and
Theshall, his two mortal enemies, leaps sometimes
more than his own length above water. (
b)
b)
Hist. of
Barb
frequently in the
GermanOcean
and sometimes in the
Canis Carcharias
mas. See the Description hereof in
mas
about two yards long, and near ¼ of a yard over, where
thickest. But they are found sometimes seven or eight
yards in length, and more. One hath been taken, saith
cially, and the widness of his Mouth, are remarkable. They
will often bite off the Legs or Arms of those that ven
ture into the Sea in a Calm; and sometimes swallow them
up whole. (
a)
a)
Hist. of
Hist. of
p. 5
Of his Optique Nerves,
they are not, as in other Animals, but plainly Cartilaginous.
cause it is much longer, than in the above-mentioned; so
as to be as it were the beginning of a Horn. The Body
of this likewise, in proportion, is much shorter and thicker.
Species.
Galeus
Asterias; because of the Stars or Spots upon his Skin. But
Asterias
the radiation of the Spots in the Figure commonly given,
is fictitious. See
rough Skin, as have all of this kind. Yet this Author saith,
he hath a smoother Skin, than the
Galeus lævis:which,
however comparatively taken, it may be true, is not well
expressed of either. The said Roughness is caused by an
infinite number of most hard and sharp Prickles, composed
in the same manner as the Scales of Fishes.
Galeus Acanthias. Because he hath
two strong and sharp Spikes growing on his Back, behind
the two Finns, and pointing towards his Tail. See the
Finns which grow on each side the
Anus, the Males, saith
b)
b)
the
Anus. But betwixt the
Anusand the Tail there is no
under-Finn; by which he differs from the rest of the Dog
kind. He is said scarce to grow so big, as to exceed twenty
pounds in weight. His Skin is rough with the like Prickles,
Microscope. But easily felt by drawing your hand towards
the head. The shape also of the Teeth is odd and un
usual, being armed with little sharp Hooks on each edge.
They are taken sometimes upon our
The Description of the Viviparous Eggs in the Female;
which are
not unlike to those of the Raya, is given by
deletius
forth thirteen young ones at
a Birth. So soon as ever
she hath brought them forth, they
swim along with her,
and if any of them are afraid of any
thing, it runs imme
diately into the Mouth, say some,
into the Womb of the
Dam: when the fear is over, returns
again, as if by a second
Birth.
The
Dolphintherefore to which it belong'd, was above two
yards and half long. In the Skin, 'tis hard to find any
passage of sound for Hearing. And
the
Dolphinhears. But
and that the whole structure of the Internal Ear may be
seen in the Skull. See
of the Dam and her
Fœtus.
a) Tursio
Plinii. Pho
cæna
deletii
Phoca. Vitulus Marinus;
From the noise he makes like a Calf. See
Description
rather like an
Otters; with Teeth like a
Dogs; and Musta
ches like those of a
Cat. His Body long, and all over
hairy. His fore-Feet, with Fingers clawd, but not divided;
yet fit for going. His hinder Feet, more properly Finns,
and fitter for swimming, as being an Amphibious Animal.
The Female gives suck, as the
Porpessand other Vivipa
rous Fishes. This here is about a yard long. But some
times they are as big, saith Mr.
years.
Squatina, sive Angelus
Marinus. The figure in
Marinus
scription very short and imperfect. That of
better, yet not full. And either the Fish he describes is a
different Species, or his Description of the Teeth is not
true.
Caput Rajæ
Oxyrrhynchæ majoris. See the Description of this and the
Oxyrrhynchæ majoris
other Kinds in
from other Fishes, in having a broad and squat Body, with
a long slender Tail appendent, but not so slender, as in the
Cat-Fish. The end of the Snout in this, is all beset with
little sharp Hooks pointing backward. And with the same
Hooks, both the Jaws: but far bigger, and standing in se
veral Rows, eight, ten, or twelve in a Row.
Ovum Rajæ Clavatæ.
Or rather the Bag or Case of the Egg. Hereof see
deletius
Seven inches long, and four over. From each of the four
Corners is stretched a sharpe ended Membrane two inches
long. In the middle it swelleth up on both sides: so
that in shape 'tis just like a Pulpit-Cushion. There are some
other lesser ones of the same shape and colour.
In the upper part of the Womb, saith
a great number of Eggs of
several sizes, consisting only
Ovary of a Hen. These successively
ripening, are found in the lower part, consisting of Yelk
and
White, and cover'd with the said horny Case. Out of
every one
of these mature Eggs, another
cessively generated. Whereby it is
intelligible, How this
Fish produceth but one at once, and yet
so numerous a
breed.
Whether this be not a young Fish, and upon that ac
count
only wanteth the Radius (as the sharp
Saw upon the
Tail is called) to me is uncertain. With this Radius he is
said to strike and kill
his Prey, for which he lies as it were
dormant, till it swims
within his reach.
may do a little above the water, as the flying
Fishes, seems
possible by the horizontal production of all his
Fins, and
their extension all along his sides.
his Bill, which is an entire Pipe, shaped almost like that of
the
Snipe-Fish.
Acus Aristotelis. Well described by
deletius
Sex
angularall along. Whereas from the Head to the
angular
Anus
it is
Septangular. The Scales are also engraven with small
lines almost of an Elliptick figure.
he is not scaly. Another also of the same
Species.
The Female, saith Canale extended
from her Anus, in which the Eggs are hatched into
young
Ones. Of the use of the Bill, see the Snip-Fish.
Mola Salviani Luna; Because the Tail-Fin
is shaped like a
Half-Moon, By which, and his odd trussed
shape, looking as if he were only the Head of some great
Fish cut off from his Trunk, he is sufficiently distinguished
from all others. Well described by
vian
Gill-Fins, as he observes, are so postur'd, as not to move
from Head to Tail, or
vice versa, but from Back to
& è contra. The use whereof seems to be, To ena
ble him to make a more direct and sudden descent; that
so when any Ravenous Fish makes full speed at him, he
may in an instant strike himself under his way, and so escape
him. It may also be noted, That being a tall Fish, and
with his sides much compressed, he hath a long Fin upon
his Back, and another answering to it on his Belly: by which
he is the better kept upright, or from swaging on his
sides.
Caput Siluri.
Description. That of
is ½ a foot long, as broad, and half as high. The Snout flat.
Both the Chaps before of a
Semilunarfigure. Armed with
an innumerable company of prickly Teeth, standing like
those in a
Cardwherewith Women Comb Wooll. The
nether Chap stands out above an inch before the upper.
The Eyes round, and for such a Head, very small, scarce the
third of an inch over. Distant three inches and ½. An
inch above the corners of his Mouth, he hath two strings,
smooth and round, here (for they are broken) ½ a foot
long, about the thickness of an
Earth-Worm, taper'd and
bended backward; outwardly nervous, inwardly Cartila
ginous or Grisly. His Gills descending almost from the
top of his Head, meet under his Throat.
Maggots.
Rondeletius
Rhombus aculeatus. So
called from his figure and the prickles on his Back or brown
side. Described by
hang at the nether Chap, are here wanting. He is said,
having hid himself in Mud, with these, to Prey upon little
Fish, which seeing them rigle, make at them, supposing them
to be Weeds.
especially by the smallness of its Prickles, which are rather
like the little Thorns on a young
Rasperry-Bush. He is not
armed with them, as
behind the Gills for the length of ¼ of an inch, and on the
lower part of the Tail, being bald.
Pavo Salviani.
Cuculus, from
the noise he makes like a
Cuckowwhen he is taken. Well
described by
king him with a long Snout, answers not, unless it be of ano
ther
Species. For the Forehead of this is square, and the Head
almost cubical, like that of the
Scorpion-Fish. From which
this chiefly differs in not having the Fins of the Back prickly
or spiked, and having a Line running from the top of the
Back on each side the Back-Fin to the Tail, like a small linked
Chain.
deletii
from the former
Species, chiefly, in having a much longer
head, and a saddle-Nose.
Uranoscopus. Because he looks
directly against the Sky: whereas, as
the
Rayand several other fishes, although they have their
Eyes standing on the top of their Heads, yet the Pupils of
Fish is accurately described by the same Author. Saving,
that he hath omitted the arching or bowing of his Body
with the Head and Tail upwards: unless both the shape
of the Fish here be forced, and his own figure thereof
false.
This Fish, when alive, hath a slender Membranous string,
which
he projects and draws in, at pleasure, as a Serpent
doth his Tongue. With this he duckoys little fishes, and
then preys upon them. For plunging himself in Mud
deletius
a little, he casts out the
said string; which the little fishes
taking for a Worm, and
nibling at it, he immediately
plucks them both in together.
It is a little fish, when at full growth, as
who had seen three of them all small, and full of Eggs,
well observes. This here, about three inches and ½ long,
¾ of an inch high, the sides much compressed, being not
¼ of an inch thick. The Orbits of his
Eyes very great, sc.
a ¼ of an
inch over. His Forehead as much.
The three Spikes on his Back (whereof
others only observe the greatest) being associated
in the
same manner, and having the like mutual proportion, as
in the File-Fish; it may reasonably be
supposed, that they
have also the same Motions, depressions
and erections, as,
in speaking of the said fish, hath been
described. And that
therefore, while the fish swims secure,
they are all
couched down close to his Back, that they may not
hinder
his course: but that when ever he is pursued, he strait
erects
them all, and by the help of the lesser, keeps the
great one
tite up against his Enemy.
Ronde
letius's
Mugilis
Alatus
letius's
Fins, which, what they want in length, they have in breadth
and strength. Figur'd by
scribed. Saving, that he mentions but seven of his eight
Fins.
Edges of the Chaps are thick and strong, yet very sharp.
In the lower Chap, near the two edges, are two furrows,
into which the Teeth of the upper Chap strike. The two
Bones which compose the Chap, are joyned together by an
indented Suture, most curious to look upon. The fish
seems next a kin to the common great
Needle-Fish, or the
Girrock, which is described by
and others, and pictur'd by
. 15Johnston , Tab
mas Allen
which he hath all over his Back.
Squilla Crangone. De
scribed by
. 1099Gesner ,
p
p
Polypus. See the Description
in
Naked-Fish, having eight
Fingers or Arms spread out almost like the Rays of a
Star-
Fish, and the Mouth in a manner in the middle of them.
Fish
Their Arms serve them both to swim with, and to Attaque
the Prey. When they are pursu'd by a fish, they presently
cast forth a black Liquor, which they have always ready
in a Bag, and wherewith they darken the water, and so
make their escape. Being boiled with Wine and Spices,
they are, saith
b)
b)
Re Cibariâ
All Stars have their Mouths in the middle
underneath,
as the Sea-Urchin. They
feed upon Shell-fish. And seem,
saith
ments, but their Mouths. Whereof I much
doubt. They
take the Prey, as the Polypus, and swim very swiftly, by
stretching out or
contracting their Arms at their plea
sure.
Stella marina arbores
cens. A rare kind. It was taken in the
cens
Bayof
Mastachuset
and out of him in
Trans. (
a)
a)
Piscis Echinostellaris Visci
formis. Before I had perused these, I had drawn up a
formis
Description of my own, which I will take leave to subjoyn.
It is above a foot Diametre. The Mouth, in the middle, is
divided into five Lips. The figure both of this and of the
Trunk or Body is pentangular. The Diametre of the
Trunk almost three inches. The sides grow thin from the
Mouth to their Edges, which are so many exact
Hyper
bola's.
bola's
Stella marina hirsuta.
Perhaps
Pectinata prima. It hath five Arms,
each Arm pointed, and also slender or narrowed next the
Trunk, but spread in the middle. Two inches and ¼ long;
the Trunk it self not above ½ an inch Diametre. The upper
part hath a rough shag of short Prickles; the other, of
longer: where also the Arms are furrow'd. These innu
merable Prickles upon their Arms, are all movable, as in the
Sea-Hedg-Hog.
indifferently answer the second, third, and fourth of
deletius
Cochlea Cylindrica; so it is
commonly called by
Zoographers, but very improperly,
the figure hereof being Conical. Here are about fourteen
of this sort. Whereof some have a plain, others a knobed
Turban. Some are all over white, or yellowish, others are
stained white and black, or blackish-bay, white and brown,
or white and yellowish. In some the colours are laid in
spots, in others undulated, and in some others Lattice-wise.
of the
Thumb. Yet one of these is above ½ a foot long, and
the Base above three inches over. The rest are small, all of
them plain
Cylinders. Not unelegantly express'd in some
variety of figures by
. 31.Olearius , Tab
and Fig. 3.
of
Tab. 32
Tab
a)
Hist. Anim.
l. 9. c. 37.
Rondeletius
Oppia
out of
out of
nus.
nius
And
out of him
out of him
Septalius
Musæum
without any ridge on the Back. The little white Ones of
this kind, are those which are particularly called
ENTALIA.
With these, saith
Bridles, and other parts of Equipage. Of these and
Jet
mixed together, they also make
Bracelets, and other
Ornaments, for Widows in
Half-Mourning. Many of this
sort, striated, are found, saith Mr.
the County of
Nuns.
c)
letius
Echi
nus orbicularis. Here are several
nus orbicularis
Specieshereof. The first
I shall name is the
Edible Button-Fish. These have very
great Prickles, with
Seatsor
Basesproportionable, in five
double Orders. And the shells are orbicular. See the full
Description in
which may be called the
Shore-Oyster.
Ostrea Pelagia. Here
are several of this sort, all of them but small.
saith, that in
seldom exceed the bigness of the palm of the Hand. But
a)
a)
Scallops, so big, that two strong men can hardly draw one
of them, with a leaver, after them.
Scallopswill move so
strongly, as oftentimes to leap out of the
Catcherwherein
they are taken. (
b)
b)
A. lib. 4. c. 4.
themselves, is, by forcing their under
Valveagainst the
Body whereon they lie. (
c)
c)
erc. 219. S. 1
places, near
are excellent good.
before
Oysters.
Concha Corallina. I
call it a
Scallop, because it seems to be but another sort
without ears. This is only waved. See
scription
Dog-days, after long Southern Winds, cast on the
shore.
b)
Quoted
by
by
tius
Concha Rhomboidea, s. Mus
culus striatus
Rondeletio
culus striatus
a)
letius
two sorts, the one less, the other more expanded. This lat
ter is by
Concha longa; mistaking what
is properly the breadth, for the length of the shell. Of this
(
d)
d)
letius
Lime.
d)
letius
Balanus major. De
scribed by
like a
Tulip, the several shelly Plates which compose it, being
pointed at the top, and standing together, as so many
leaves. They always grow fixed to some other Body.
When boyl'd, they are a delicate sort of Meat.
Base.
Balanus compressa & Squamata; so I call it. This
Species
is in some sort figur'd by
worth nothing. 'Tis near an inch long, and ¼ of an inch
broad at the
Base, where it is somewhat narrower than
in the middle. Whitish, and with some Rays of blew. It
consists of five greater pieces, whereof the middlemost
pair, the greatest and the longest. The lesser pair are joyned
to them edge to edge, reaching half their length, but not
oppositely with their Points downward, as in the former
Species, but upward. The fifth piece not joyned to this lesser
pair, as in the other
Species, but to the opposite edge of the
greater. Round about the
Baseof the Shell several little
pieces, some bigger and some less, stand after the manner
of
Scales, with their points also forward. So that it looks
almost like a great
Budcrushed flat. 'Tis joyned to a
Neck
about ¼ of an inch over; an inch, sometimes more, or
less, in length; of a brown colour, rough, and composed of
an innumerable company of small Knobs, almost like those
on some Fishes Skins. Several Shells, by the like Necks,
commonly grow all together in a Cluster.
Described
Hirundo
Hirudo
marinus marino:
by
b)
b)
c. 7
Poole-
Horseleech:for which cause, he cannot draw up himself
Horseleech:
so round, but exerts and contracts his Head and Tail
only. (
c)
c)
WOOD; part of the
sheathingof a Ship. Brought in,
by
naturally Tubulous, but made so by a sort of
Sea-Wormes;
described by
and others. The Tubular Holes are numerous, of that
width as to admit a
Swans-Quill, very round, equally wide,
and winding every way too and fro, so as some times to run
one into an other. Most curiously lined, or as it were
Wanscoted with a white Testaceous Crust, of the same
substance and thickness with those called
Tubuli Marini.
Carcinites. It seems to be of
the undulated kind; whereof see the Description in
letius
Yet dissoluble with
Acids. There is one pretty like this in
b)
b)
Metallicum.
Pagurus lapideus.
And another in
Part of a Letter of
Mr.Dale
from
to
Dr.Martin Lister
Fellow
of the College of Physicians and
of the College of Physicians and
concern
ing several Insects.
ing several Insects
which I take to be different from those described
by
Theat. Insect. p. 148, 149.
plentifully found about
Sea-Coast.
sorts of Scarabs, which I cannot find figured in your
cu
rious Hist. Animal Angl.
as the Moufet. p. 152.Canthaarides, three or four sorts of Lady Bugs,
and others;
which, although of most of them I have at present but
single Specimens, yet if you desire the
sight of them to
design and fill up the Vacancies of your Plates with,
they shall be sent up to you. Last Summer being on
our
Sea-Coast at
six Species of
found to be already noted by you in your excellent
Hist.
Conchyl. as of English Production, viz. Sect. 5.
n. 19. and 43.viz. n. 13.
agrees with your n. 8.
cannot be positive, I therefore desire your Name of it:
This I did see taken out of the Sea by the Fishermen,
among Sea-Weeds, and is solitary.
they are distinct)
I have herewith sent you, desiring
your Opinion.
Fishermen brought up, there were divers of those
Marine Animals, which by MolyneuxPhilos. Trans. n.
225.
the Classis of
call, Sea-Mice, and are described by
Physalus,
but badly.
that the Female
by
without a Name, I have sent you one of them also,
which was found in Coitu with the Male Else very diffe
rent.
any of those petrified
Shells you found there, if you can
spare them.