[PW] Re: ? Topsell's History of Four-Footed Beasts

[Tanya Barben]

Good morning,

The quote is from Edward Topsell's The History of Four-Footed Beasts and Serpents and Insects; London, 1658 publication. The quote is found on page 351. UCT Rare Books Collections has a copy  of the aforementioned.

The quote reads as follows: "For it will dive in the water like an Otter, and seem to be utterly drowned, holding in the breath longer then any other four-footed Beast, as appeareth by his long keeping under water, and also by living in the belly of the Crocodile, until he deliver forth himself, by eating through his bowels, as shall be shewed afterwards. It is a valiant and nimble creature, not fearing a great Dog, but setteth upon him and biting him mortally, but especially a Cat; for it killeth or strangleth her with three bites of her teeth, and because her beak or snout is very narrow or small, it cannot bite any thing, except it (sic) be lefs then a mans fist. The proportion of he body is much like a Badgers, and nose hangeth over the mouth, like as it were always angry; the nature of it is, finding the Crocodile asleep, suddenly to run down into his throat and belly, and there to eat up that meat which the Crocodile hath devoured, and not returning out again the way it went in, maketh a passage for it self through the Beasts belly."

I hope that you will find this helpful. 

Regards,
Tanya

Rare Books Librarian
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Tel:  + 27 21 650 3108
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>>> "Cramer, Jeff" <Jeff.Cramer at walden.org> 2006/11/13 05:08 pm >>>
In Edward Topsell’s The History of Four-Footed Beasts and Serpents and
Insects (New York: Da Capo, 1967) is a description of the ichneumon which
“entreth into the belly of the crocodile” and “sitting close upon the
liver of the Crorocidle, and feeding full sweetly upon his intrails, until
at last being satisfied, eaeth out her own passage through the belly of her
hoast.”

 

If anyone has a copy of that book and could either proof the above brief
passage or fax me a photocopy of the appropriate page, that would be
wonderfully helpful. I am on a tight deadline and do not have the time to
ILL a copy. Unfortunately I do not have a page reference.

 

The two words I am particularly concerned about are:

 

            “Crorocidle” which perhaps should be “crocodile” and
“eaeth” which perhaps should be “eateth”

 

If anyone could help, I’d be grateful. Many, many thanks in advance.-- Jeff

 

 

Jeffrey S. Cramer, Curator of Collections 
The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods 
44 Baker Farm, Lincoln, MA 01773-3004 
Telephone/Fax: (781) 259-4730
E-mail:  <mailto:Jeff.Cramer at walden.org> Jeff.Cramer at walden.org 
Website:  <http://www.walden.org/Institute> www.walden.org/Institute 

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