Analysis

Divination in Babylonia and Assyria[1]
Three chief methods: hepatoscopy, astrology and birth-omens[1-6]
Spread of Hepatoscopy and Astrology to Hittites, Etruscans, Greeks and Romans and to China[3-4]
The Transition motif in religious rites and popular customs[5-6]
Omen collections in Ashurbanapal’s Library[6-7]
Birth-omen reports[9-12]
Animal Birth-omens[12-28]
Double foetus[13-16]
Principles of interpretation[14-15]
Multiple births among ewes[17-18]
Malformation of ears[19-22]
Excess number of ears[20-22]
Ewe giving birth to young resembling lion[23-26]
Ewe giving birth to young resembling other animals[27-28]
Human Birth-omens[28-41]
Twins[29-30]
Monstrosities[30]
Multiple births[31]
Malformation of ears[32-33]
Malformation of mouth, nostrils, jaws, arms, lips, hand[33-34]
Malformation of anus, genital member, thigh, feet[35-36]
Principles of interpretation[36]
Misshapen embryos[37]
Weaklings, cripples, deaf-mutes, still-births, dwarfs[38-39]
Talking infants, with bearded lips and teeth[39]
Infants with animal features[32]. [33]. [35-36]. [40-41]
Study of Human Physiognomy among Greeks and Romans[43-44]
Resemblances between human and animal features[45]
Porta’s and Lavater’s Views[45-48]
Study of Human Physiognomy based on birth-omens[49-50]
Birth-omens in Julius Obsequens[50-52]
Birth-omens in Valerius Maximus[52]
Cicero on birth-omens[53-54]
Macrobius on birth-omens[55]
Birth-omens among Greeks and in Asia Minor[56-58]
Birth-omens as basis of belief in fabulous and hybrid beings[59-62]
Dragons, Hippocentaurs and hybrid creatures in Babylonian-Assyrian Literature and Art[63-64]
Fabulous creatures of Greek Mythology and Birth-omens[64-66]
Egyptian sphinxes[67-70]
Totemism[70]
Metamorphosis of human beings into animals and vice versa[70-72]
Talking animals in fairy tales[71]
History of monsters and persistency of belief in monsters[72-78]
Lycosthenes’ work[73-75]
Summary[78-80]
Index[81-86]

“... they do observe
unfather’d heirs and loathly births of natures”
(King Henry V. 2nd part
Act IV, 4, 121-122).