The History of Four-Footed Beasts Serpents and Insects Vol. II of III: Describing at Large Their True and Lively Figure Their Several Names ... Work of God in Their Creation Preservation

Edward Topsells The History of Four-Footed Beasts Serpents and Insects is a medieval exposition on Zoology. Published in 1658 nearly 30 years after Topsells death his book explores the history and legends of real and mythical animals.Topsell was not a naturalist but a clergyman and he used scriptures and poetry as sources just as much as the natural world. He mentions fantastical and mythical creations such as the lamia a creature with a scaled catlike body and the face of a woman the mantichora a creature with a lions body a mans face and a distorted smile and the hydra a creature with seven heads and a serpents body. He also mentions unicorns and discusses how elephants worship the sun.Topsells previous books had been grounded in religious themes and although The History of Four-Footed Beasts Serpents and Insects is not without said themes its a puzzling and enjoyable departure from his usual work.This second volume contains the remainder of The History of Four-Footed Beasts and The History of Serpents with Insects in the final volume.