The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller].

  • Académie des sciences (France)
Date:
1702
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The natural history of animals containing the anatomical description of several creatures dissected, by the Royal academy of sciences at Paris ... / Done into English by a fellow of the Royal society [Alexander Pitfield] ; to which is added an account of the Measure of a degree of a great circle of the earth, published by the members of the same Academy : English'd by R.W. [i.e. Richard Waller]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A N A TOMIC A L DESCRIPTION • O F A TO E Efides the particular Character of the Sax of the Liomefs, which is to _____ have no long Hair about the Neck, there are oblerved Icveral others, which are, that the has a longer Nole, a Head flatter at top, and Claws leffer than the Lyon. This Lyonnefs was three foot high from the end of the fore Claws, to the ridge of the Back. She was about five foot long, from the extremity of the Nole to the beginning of the Tail, which was two foot and a half long. The Claws which were at the end, and divided into feveral Fibres like thole of Lyons, have been oblerved in this Subject with more care and exact-, nefs than in the others. It is oblerved that they are compofed of a Fibrous and very compact Subftance;in refpedt of each Fibreut that thele Fibres are eafily feparable one from the other; which happens, as it is eafie to Judge, for want of the Moifture which flhould join, and glue them together; even as it isleen in Fibrous Wood, which cleaves not lo eafily before it is dry. Indeed this Lyonnefs,which was extraordinary lean, had Claws much eafier to fhoot out than the other Lyons which were younger and fatter. Thus the Root of the Claws, and the particular manner whereby we have found them faft¬ ened to the Bones of the ends of the Paws, has lesmed to us to be principally to fupply the humour which is neceffary to thefe parts.For the Claw was not immediately faftened to the Bone by its whole Root.- But there was a part thereof'wA.theinfide which was hollow,which was not knitt to the bone.This infide was filled with a competent fubftance between the CartiUge and liga¬ ment. This manner of connexion and fallening of thele Claves feern’d to us to afford what ever is requifite to their use : For if ail the Fibres, whereof thele Claws are compofed, had taken rile immediately from the Bone, they could not attraH humidity enough to make that connexion, which renders the Claws lolid : /aid if they had been all faftened to the Bone by means oi thc Ligaments, they would not have beenfo ffrongly joyned, as when they are foddered without any thing between. The Conformation of the Stomach was particular, and very different in this Subject, from that which we have found in other Lyons which we have .differed, where the Stomach was like to that ol Doggs and llatts, having an ample and large Fundus towards the fuperiour Orifice,whichalwayes grew lei-. ier