The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 2
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
And lastly, as concerning the picture, if naturally examined, and not
Hierogliphically conceived, it containeth many improprieties,
disagreeing almost in all things from the true and proper description.
For, whereas it is commonly set forth green or yellow, in its proper
colour, it is inclining to white; excepting the extremities or tops of
the wing feathers, which are brown. [SN: _The bigness of a Pelecan._]
It is described in the bigness of a Hen, whereas it approacheth and
sometimes exceedeth the magnitude of a Swan. It is commonly painted with
a short bill; whereas that of the Pelecan attaineth sometimes the length
of two spans. The bill is made acute or pointed at the end; whereas it
is flat and broad, though somewhat inverted at the extream. It is
described like fissipedes, or birds which have their feet or claws
divided; whereas it is palmipedous, or fin-footed like Swans and Geese;
according to the method of nature, in latirostrous or flat-bild birds;
which being generally swimmers, the organ is wisely contrived unto the
action, and they are framed with fins or oars upon their feet; and
therefore they neither light, nor build on trees, if we except
Cormorants, who make their nests like Herons. [SN: _Of her Crop._]
Lastly, there is one part omitted more remarkable than any other, that
is, the chowle or crop adhering unto the lower side of the bill, and so
descending by the throat: a bag or sachel very observable, and of a
capacity almost beyond credit; which notwithstanding, this animal could
not want; for therein it receiveth Oysters, Cochels, Scollops, and other
testaceous animals; which being not able to break, it retains them until
they open, and vomiting them up, takes out the meat contained. This is
that part preserved for a rarity and wherein (as _Sanctius_ delivers) in
one dissected, a _Negro_ child was found.
A possibility there may be of opening and bleeding their breast; for
this may be done by the uncous and pointed extremity of their bill: and
some probability also that they sometimes do it, for their own relief,
though not for their young ones; that is by nibling and biting
themselves on their itching part of their breast, upon fullness or
acrimony of blood. And the same may be better made out; if (as some
relate) their feathers on that part are sometimes observed to be red and
tincted with blood.
CHAPTER II
Of the Picture of Dolphins.
That Dolphins are crooked, is not only affirmed by the hand of the
Painter, but commonly conceived their natural and proper figure; which
is not only the opinion of our times, but seems the belief of elder
times before us. For, beside the expressions of _Ovid_ and _Pliny_,
their Pourtraicts in some ancient Coyns are framed in this figure, as
will appear in some thereof in _Gesner_, others in _Goltsius_, and
_Lævinus Hulsius_ in his discription of Coyns, from _Julius Cæsar_ unto
_Rhodulphus_ the second.
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