The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Georg Marcgrave (1610 - 1644)
Alias Georg Marggravius (Alias)
Dance, Peter S. "The Art of Natural History." Woodstock, N.Y: Overlook P, 1978. Print.
"Marcgrave, Georg (1610-44). Dutch astronomer and naturalist. One of the men who worked in Brazil with Count Johann Moritz of Nassau-Siegen, the Governor-General of Northeastern Brazil appointed by the Dutch West India Company. Marcgrave contributed most of the botanical and zoological portions of the Historia Naturalis Brasiliae (1648), and possibly some of the woodcuts for the book were based on his drawings". (218) Other biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Marcgrave Relationships: Willem Piso (1611-1678) was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Georg Marcgrave
Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - De Indiæ utriusque Re Naturali et Medica libri quatuordecim.
as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - Historia Naturalis Brasiliae.
as Authority - early modern - De Indiæ utriusque Re Naturali et Medica libri quatuordecim.
References in Documents:
Araracanga
Tlauhquechul mexiocanisof
Aiaia brasiliensisof
Colheradoof the
Plateaor Pelican of
, known to us as the Iguana. Wrongly called the Chameleon inSenembi
Legvanof
Guacucuia:the
Cercopithecus:qu.
Simia caudata. See
the Descriptions and Figures of several kinds in
drovandus
of some as big as a Mastiff, having Tails five Cubits long.
b)
rum gest. in
Bras. Hist.
p. 223.
In
smell like Musk. (
b) In which place they are numerous,
and in great variety. (
c) As also in all the Mountanious
places of the
c)
Laet
d) As they climb the Trees, if
in danger of falling, they save themselves not only with their
Feet, but their Tails, by wraping them round about the next
Bough.
d)
vandus a
Monfet de
Re Cibariâ
Zygantesin
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.
; by theBrasile ,
Tamandua-guacu
Great Ant-Bear;
Because he feeds upon
Ants, and is shagg'd, and hinder
footed almost like a
Bear. He hath also a very long and
sharp Snout, a slender Tongue, and extensible to a great
length, also a long and brushy Tail: which are his prin
cipal Characters. See him described in
of
villanus,
a)
c. 15
a) hath given a
different Description; and probably a false one.
; which theIndian Roe-Buck
people of
Cuguacu-apara. See the Description
of the Animal in
under the name of the
Capreolus Marinus.
Lizardso called in
called
Igvana. Curiously figur'd by
by
odd structure of the hinder Foot. The inmost Toe is
joyned to the next, by a Membrane, for the length of an
inch and ½. This to the third, by a like Membrane for the
length of an inch. This again to the fourth, for the length
of an inch and ½. The fourth, almost loose from the last.
The Picture also, commonly given,
fore-Leg equal to the hinder, which is far longer and
thicker.
It is affirmed by
years old as the Serpent is, the Rattle hath so many joynts.
Which if it be true, then they will live at least sixteen
years,
some Rattles (as this here) consisting of sixteen
joynts. Which
makes the Tradition very suspicious.
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.
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.
Marggravius , Piso
called ANHIMA. Described by
lughby
and Footed like the
Dunghill Cock, Tail'd like a
Goose,
Horned on his Forehead (with some likeness) as the
Uni
corneis pictur'd; Spurd on his Wings; Bigger than
corne
a
Swan. The Male, say
again.
The HORN was given by Father
In the Bird which
but
a little above two inches long. But this is above
three, and
about as thick as a Bodkin. The top also of
this is not sharp,
as figur'd (and I doubt feigned) by the
same Author, but
blunt; and, contrary to what is seen in
Horns, rather thicker
than toward the bottom. It is but
of a softish and brittle
substance, inferior to the softest sort
of Horns. Considering
which, and the bluntness of it, as
well as smallness, compared
with the Bird, it cannot be
must have some other use.
above said, on the fore-Joynt of the Wings. Triangular,
sharp-pointed, and an inch and ½ long. Said by
vius
upwards) as a
CocksSpur; and thereby fit more effectually
to wound.
Jacana. Given
by Dr.
hereof. The
Colours not the same in all parts, as in that
of
being here of a bright Bay or
Chestnut, inclining to
red: in his, only black and green
mixed. Perhaps
Guara. The
Membrane wherewith he
saith the Head is cover'd, in this,
growing on the Bill, is
extended only over the Forehead
like an inverted Peak. He
saith, that on all the four Toes
there grows a Claw, ½
an inch long: whereas the Claw of
the hinder Toe or Heel is at
least an inch and ½ long. On
the fore Joynt of each
Wing, grows a Spur, as in the
Anhima; but not above ⅓d of an inch long, round, and
exceeding sharp. Which
is omitted also by
but mention'd
by
from all other Birds, by the slenderness of her Legs and
Toes.
Jacana. Given
by Dr.
hereof. The Colours not the same in all parts, as in that
of
being here of a bright Bay or Chestnut, inclining to
red: in his, only black and green mixed. Perhaps
Guara. The
Membrane wherewith he saith the Head is cover'd, in this,
growing on the Bill, is extended only over the Forehead
like an inverted Peak. He saith, that on all the four Toes
there grows a Claw, ½ an inch long: whereas the Claw of
the hinder Toe or Heel is at least an inch and ½ long. On
the fore Joynt of each Wing, grows a Spur, as in the
Anhima; but not above ⅓
dof an inch long, round, and
exceeding sharp. Which is omitted also by
but mention'd by
from all other Birds, by the slenderness of her Legs and
Toes.
scribe an
to
this, the Head whereof is here describ'd. But cannot be
the
same, unless both the Pictures which they give, and
the Snout is sixteen inches long, the nether Chap,
ten) be
false. For in this Head, the nether Chap is broader,
and
comparatively not near so long.
and by
Petimbuaba.
He hath only omitted the Line, which, like a very small
Chain, runs along both sides, as in the
Sea-Scorpion, from
Head to Tail: Both the Body and Snout are long and slen
der, from whence its Name. 'Tis also pictur'd, and in some
sort described by
Piscis Triangularis. Described
by
Square-
Fishto be the same. But neither of them are particular
Fish
enough.
the people of
by
long, and a yard and half about. The Mouth of this
Head standing quite open, makes a circle of a yard in com
pass. So that, probably, 'tis the biggest of
Scaled-Fishes,
Sturgeon. Of all our
to come nearest to the
Cole-Fishor
Black-Cod.
This fish seems to be the same which the People of
sile
graviusb) b)
The Old
Wife. It hath some marks of kindred with the tall
Wife
Acarau
na, described and pictur'd in
na
hath also divers others of distinction from it; as the diffe
rent position of the
Spurs, the different shape both of Head,
Body and Tail, &c. as may be observed by comparing the
Descriptions and Figures of both together. The tall
Aca
raunais figured also by
rauna
a)
a)
but without any Inscription of Number or Title.
This fish seems to be the same with that which
vius
Acus Brasiliensis.
hath described and figur'd it well. 'Tis a long slender fish,
from whence its Name. It hath also a pair of Chaps like
a long Bill. He only omits the two scaly Lines which run
along the Belly and Tail of the Fish, which every where else
hath a naked Skin.
Taurus volans maximus.
Speciesof
Bull-Chafers, of which, as I take it, this is one.
I meet also with the Picture of it in
c)
c)
Fig. 2
three Horns. The first is only the Snout produced and
bended upward, and is therefore moveable with the
Head. In length, according to the figure in
it is here broken off) about an inch and ½ forked at the end,
and with one upper branch a little before the Eyes. The
Head very little. Upon his Shoulders he hath two im
movable or unjoynted Horns, about ¾ of an inch long, ¼
of an inch over at the
Base, directed forward, and with
their points inward, like a
Bulls-Horns. From the end of
his Snout or fore-Horn to the end of his Tail he is about
five inches long, over his Back above two and a ¼; the bigest
of
Insectsyet known. His fore-Feet are armed with
Spikes, as so many Claws; wherewith, 'tis likely he digs
himself Buries. Of his Wings it is Observable, That at
their utmost Joynt, they are laped up, or doubled inward
towards the Head, and so kept safe under the Wing-Covers;
being, when out at their full length, almost twice as long
as the hinder Body or Section of the Animal. The like is
observable of the Wings of some other
Beetles. His Horns,
Legs, Back and Wing-Covers are all black; his Belly
brown.
Dissected was sent to Henry Loades
a Merchant in
only to gratify the curiosity of the
it them alive, but likewise gave it them when dead, and
so afforded them an opportunity of farther satisfaction
in observing the inward parts of it; which I find so confor
mable
in almost all respects to those of a Viper, that I have
taken the liberty of placing it in that Classe, and (since
it has not yet, that I know of, any Latine Name) of give
ing it that of
Merchants, 'tis Viviparous, and the Epithet sufficiently
differences it from those that have no Rattle, although of
these too there ought to be made a Subdivision.
shall concern my self at present only with the Anatomy,
which I think is yet given by None: tho to me it seems
the most principal part in a Natural History of Animals:
and for other Accounts I shall refer to Georg. Marcgravius,
Gul. Piso, Johnston, Nierembergius,
Joan de Laet, Fran.
Hernandez, and others that have wrot of it; who de
scribe
it under the Names of Boiçininga, or Boiçinininga,
and Boiquira, which are the
gues's 'tis called Cascavela
and Tangador: by the Dutch,
Raëtel-Schlange: by those of Mexico,
Teutlacocauhqui, or
Teuhtlacotzauhqui, (i.e.)
swift motion on the Rocks like the Wind, Hoacoatl.
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.
TheBrasilian Aracari
of
the otherXochitenacatl
ofNieremberg.
Woodpecker [I
suppose he means the common green one] hath a Bill four inches
long, an inch and half broad or deep, three inches and an half
thick where thickest, [I suppose he means so much by measure
round] a little bending downward like a Turkish
Scymitar, and sharp-pointed like a Parrots; the upper Chap being a little
longer than the lower: Both upper and lower are for above half
way reckoning from the end, serrate or toothed. The upper part
of the Bill is greater than the lower. The Bill is hollow, very
light, [lighter than a Spunge:] The upper Chap white,
distinguished by a black line running along the middle or ridge
from head to point, the lower Chap wholly black. The whole Bill
is inserted into the Head triangle-wise, and where the insertion
is, compassed about with a triangular white line. It
hath a Tongue four inches long, very light, and plainly
resembling a feather to see to: Or else is feathered and black,
(if the Tongue may be said to have a feather.) It hath a Head
not very big, broad, and compressed; great Eyes, Irides, and
the
tremitates.Parrots. The body from the rise of the
Neck to the Tail is about five inches long. The Tail is broad
like a tline Woodpeckers, and six inches
long, or somewhat more. The Legs and Feet are of a dark green or
black, like to those of Parrots, having
two fore-toes, whereof the one longer than the other, and two
back-toes likewise of unequal length. The Claws crooked, and
dusky or black. The length of the upper Legs is two inches, of
the lower one and an half. The whole Head and Neck as far as the
beginning of the Breast are covered with black feathers, which
where they end are terminated in a circle. The Breast, and all
the lower Belly elegantly cloathed with yellow feathers mingled
with pavonine. Cross the Breast from the one side to the other
is a broad line drawn, of a sanguine colour. The whole Back,
Wings, Tail, and upper Legs are covered with dark green
feathers, [or black with a gloss of green] like the colour usual
in our Magpies. The end of the Back above
the beginning of the Tail is of a sanguine colour to more than
the Circumference of a Crown piece. The Wings end at the
rise of the Tail, and within side are of a dark ash-colour. The
Bill is black within. This Bird doth, as it were,
pronounce its own name, crying with a sharp voice, but
not very shril, Aracari.
This Bird is very like the Toucan or
Brasilian Pie. The conformation of its
Feet argues it to belong to the Woodpecker-kind.
Repository of
the Toucans Bill, not so compressed
side-ways, but rounder. The upper Chap wholly white, without any
line of black in the top, (wherein it differs from the Aracari's
Bill described by
This Bird is very like the Toucan or
Brasilian Pie. The conformation of its
Feet argues it to belong to the Woodpecker-kind.
Repository of
the Toucans Bill, not so compressed
side-ways, but rounder. The upper Chap wholly white, without any
line of black in the top, (wherein it differs from the Aracari's
Bill described by
The red-breastedIndian Blackbird,
perchance theJacapu
ofMarggrave .
Blackbird, as far as I could judge
by the dried skin. The colour of the whole upper side was black;
only the edges of the feathers about the Rump were ash-coloured.
The Breast was of a scarlet colour: The Bill like a Blackbirds:
The Tail also long, and like
a Blackbirds.
I take this to be the same bird, which
Jacapu of the Brasilians, though he attribute to it only the bigness
of a Lark. It hath (saith he) a long
Tail, shorter Wings, short and black Legs, with sharp Claws on
the four toes: A Bill a little crooked and black, half an inch
long. The whole body is covered with shining black
feathers; yet under the Throat spots of a Vermilion colour are
mingled with the black. This bird differs from ours in its
smalness, and the shortness of its Bill.
The red-breastedIndian Blackbird,
perchance theJacapu
ofMarggrave .