The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
John Johnston ( - )
Alias for Jan Jonston
References in Documents:
Grew, Musaeum Regalis (1685) THe
The HEAD of the RIVER-WHALE.
Johnston gives the figure of this Fish, but
without a
Description. That of
Rondeletius is not full. This Head
is ½ a foot long, as broad, and half as high. The Snout flat.
Both the Chaps before of a
an innumerable company of prickly Teeth, standing like
those in a
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
bended backward; outwardly nervous, inwardly Cartila
ginous or Grisly. His Gills descending almost from the
top of his Head, meet under his Throat.
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.