History of Monsters 529

is contained, so that the embryo swimming within it can be more comfortably held in the womb until the proper time for birth. This watery fluid lightens and supports the weight of the fetus to some extent; once it is discharged, the fetus must necessarily sink down, resting against the body of the uterus, where it presses with its full weight and consequently stimulates its delivery.

Regarding this, some wonder how this fluid—which shares the nature of urine—can be contained so easily without its sharpness damaging the delicate skin of the fetus. However, it should be noted that this substance is not at all sharp or bilious; rather, it is thick, phlegmatic, and slow-moving, like mucus, which is capable of dulling any acidity. These brief remarks on the membranes and the positioning of the bovine fetus will suffice.

To further confirm such monstrous defects of the limbs, we present for inspection several images of misshapen creatures that have come into our hands—specifically, images of two-legged dogs born without forelegs. The first figure is a dog of the hound variety, marked with white and chestnut colors. From its very birth, it lacked its front legs; as time passed, it walked by supporting itself only on its hind legs. It is depicted in Illustration II along with the *cynomazos* herb, also known as the black chameleon.

Another image of a two-legged dog is that of a greyhound, as seen in Figure III, where it is depicted with *cynocephalea* (the *osyris* of de l'Obel). This dog was white and was born in Lyon, France.

We have learned from the illustrious Licetus that a similar phenomenon occurred among cats. He reported that in Padua, at the College of Ravenna, a cat gave birth to a two-legged kitten among many others in its litter. It lacked front legs and had its mouth opening near the throat, with square ears. He records that it died within a short time because, lacking front legs, it was unable to crawl forward to reach its mother's milk.

Thus far we have discussed four-legged animals born with only two legs. Now it must be noted that sometimes animals which are four-legged by nature are born with three legs, occurring when Nature is hindered in the womb and cannot provide the fetus with its fourth limb. Thus, the historian Lycosthenes recorded that in the year of the world 3784 (which was 178 years before the birth of the Virgin Mother of God), a three-legged mule was born, as shown in Illustration IIII. Furthermore, according to the same author, a three-legged donkey is said to have been born in Galatia in the year of the world 3794.

Moreover, in our own age, this occurred in a dog of white and reddish color. We provide a drawing of it for inspection in Figure V, shown with *cynocardamo* (the *nasturtium* of de l'Obel).

Sometimes it happens that a four-legged animal is born with four limbs, but one of them is defective. For instance, according to Jobus Fincelius in his work on the miracles of our time (as cited by Lycosthenes), a foal was born in the Pomeranian village of Rekow, near Rügen at the mouth of the Oder, in the year 1554. This foal had a horrific head, floppy ears like those of a hound, a monstrous mouth, and lips so twisted that it could not grasp a teat. Its neck was contorted and winding, its mane unkempt, its skin rough and shaggy, and its tail stood upright like a crest.

Finally, this foal stood upright and looked terrifying with its mouth agape, even though one of its front legs was maimed and lacked a foot. The other front leg resembled a human foot, while the hind legs were those of a horse, as seen in Figure VI. Fincelius reported that it lived for three days; after it died, it was buried at a crossroads.