The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-04-27
Star
A NIxrEExrH CENTURY zOoLoGIST.
Old Time Studies in Natural History.


Old Time Studies in Natural History.
a glance at Mr.. Topsel's account of
certain animals which are not to be
found in Il geological garde Is, and
which have been overlooked by nine
tecnth century natualists, may not be
without interest, wen for the sccpti-
cal modern reader. He describes sew
eral varieties of apes which were
quite unknown to Darwin, notably
the satyr and the sphinx. Satyrs, he
tells us, inhabited the islands of the
S%dtyridae, which are three in number.
standing right over aginst India There
Is a Shakspearian vagucncss about
his geography. They keeptheir meat
under their chinS, and from thence
take it forth to eat. They arc seldom
taken alive, but one was caught in
the woods OF SaXony-ratlier Il long
way from home-which was tanned
and taught to talk. There arc several
different kinds Of satyrs, including
pans, fauns and silent. The sphinx is
a dangerous species of ape, with a
woman's face and breasts. If a man
first perceive the sphinx, lie shall
be safe, but otherwise it is mortal to
man. The pigmies, u author de-
cides, belong to the simian, and not,
rs some have thought, mOdesty, hon
csty, nor justice, speak impcrfectly,
and above all, have no religion, which
Gas Plato says sis common to all
men," Mr.. Topscl has no great adj
miration for the ape in any of its va
r%icties, for he holds it to be "a subtill,
ironical, ridiculous and Improbable
beast, good only for laughter" There
Il one use, however, to which he may
be put I; for when q lion is old or sick
he RECEIVERS himself by eating an ape.
The various organs of the animal,
moreover, contain valuable medicinal
properties when properly prepared,
though they are neglected by II lat
tct-day doctors. Still, it is well tot
know that the heart of an ape, dried,
and a grOat's weight thereof drunk in
a draught of stale honey, strengthens
the heat, sharpens the understanding
and is a sovereign remedy against the
falling sickness. The gulon seems to be
a curious and far from attractive ami
NAL, which was unknown to the an
clients, but with which Mr.. TOpsel and
his contemporaries had some slight
acquaintance. 1t was supposed to be
Il cross between a lion and a hyena.
and was called the gulo on account of
its g%luttonous habits, since it was ac-
cust0med to stuff until its body stood
out like a bell. ut may be-" says our
author, shat God hath ordained such
a creature, in those countries to ex-
press the abOminable habits of the
nOblemen who sit from noon till mid
night, eating and drinking, particu-
larly in Muscovy and Lithuania. l
would to God that this gluttOny had
been confined to those un-Christian
or heretical apostatical countries, and
had not spread itself over our more
civil and Christian parts of the world"
The g0rgOn, OF which no portrait is
given, is proper to Africa, and is a ter
riblc beast, with fiery eyes, which
look neither forwards nor upwards,
put always on the earth. 1t lives en-
tlrely on poisonous herbs, and when
IL sees an enemy, it opens its mouth
and sends forth a horrible breath,
which p0iSOnS the air Over its head.
so that all creatures breathing the air
fall into commissions. 1t is a yexed
question, however, whether the poi
son proceeds from the creatures
throat oreyes, and Mr.. Topsel inclines
toward the latter superstition, because
some OF Marins' soldiers, when inva-
ding Africa, tried to kill a gorgon
that was feeding, but as soon as il
raised its head and looked at them
they fell down dead.