Scientific Illustration

mediumaevum:

Behold - the Bonnacon

The bonnacon is a beast with a head like a bull, but with horns that curl in towards each other. Because these horns are useless for defense, the bonnacon has another weapon. When pursued, the beast expels its dung which travels a great distance (as much as two acres), and burns anything it touches.

readinganimal:

In Arabia, Foxes are so ‘ravenous, harmful and audacious, that in the night by ganning and barking, they invite one another (as it were) by a Watchword, to assemble in great multitudes together, for to prey upon all things, and they fear not to carry into their dens, old shoes and vessels, or instruments of husbandry: for which cause, when the Husbandmen hear thereof, they gather all things into their houses and watch them.’

Edward Topsell, The History of Four-Footed Beasts, 1607

compendium-of-beasts:

Le porc-epic ; Le coendou, le porc-epic de Malaya.

via NYPL

compendium-of-beasts:

Hystrix cristata, Lin. (the common porcupine) ; Synetheres insidiosa (the couiy of Brazil). (1834-1837)

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compendium-of-beasts:

The urson ; The prehensile tailed porcupine or couendou ; The pencil tailed porcupine. (1834-1837)

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compendium-of-beasts:

[Porcupine.] (1837)

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compendium-of-beasts:

1. The North American Porcupine (Hystrix hudsonius). 2. The Northern Hare (Lepus americanus). (1842-1844)

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compendium-of-beasts:

Coendou, or Brazilian porcupine. (1869)

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compendium-of-beasts:

The coendou (synetheres prehensilis). (1885)

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compendium-of-beasts:

Pécari ; Pédère ; Pégase. (1838)

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