244 On Man's Influence in effecting 



manner in which the ancients described objects of natural 

 history. Though their senses were sound, their observations 

 stood insulated, and though they sometimes made use of com- 

 parisons with objects more currently known, these compari- 

 sons were not founded on the unerring basis of systematic 

 knowledge. Hence the vagueness of their information, even 

 when true, and, as a necessary consequence, the comparative 

 uncertainty of their nomenclature. If the former already 

 leaves us doubtful as to the objects to which their descriptions 

 refer, the latter may increase the difficulties to such a degree, 

 that we must draw upon other and more general sources of 

 information, to form an opinion which will allow us to acqui- 

 esce in its probability. This, I am afraid, is the extreme li- 

 mit at which I shall be able to arrive in the present enquiry. 

 In adverting to the direct written evidence upon which the 

 question, whether there were formerly two wild bovine ani- 

 mals inhabiting middle Europe, must be discussed, we have 

 first to hear Aristotle, who knew two species of wild oxen ; 

 the one living in Arachosia, or that part of Persia which was 

 nearest to India, and being evidently the buffalo,* does not 

 concern us in our present enquiry ; the other he calls Bona- 

 sos, or Monassos, and describes it in the following terms, after 

 having stated that it is found in Pseonia, (the modern Bulga- 

 ria). "The general form is much like that of a bull, but it 

 has a mane like the horse, which extends to the shoulders. 

 The hair of the mane is however softer than in the horse; it 

 is thick, and falls over the eyes. Its colour is between grey 

 and russet, and it is wool-like from below, (xarwfov, which can 

 very well be construed as referring to the downy hair growing 

 under the shaggy one). The colour of the horns is shining 

 black. The tail, which, in other respects, is like that of an 

 ox, is shorter in proportion to the body. Its skin cannot be 

 easily cut through. Its flesh is excellent, and the animal is 

 hunted for it."f If we compare this description with that of 

 the zubr given below, we cannot in the least doubt that it is 

 meant for that animal. Aristotle's information is, moreover, 

 verified and rendered more complete by Pausanias, who speaks 

 as an eye-witness of the wild oxen of Paeonia, which he calls 

 Bison. " I saw Paeonian oxen, which are particularly shag- 

 gy about the chest and the lower jaw; "I and he describes 

 the mode of catching them alive, in trap-holes, where they 

 are partially tamed by hunger :§ as well as by Oppian,|| who 



• See Cuvier, ' Recherches sur les Ossemens Fossiles,' t. iv. p. 112. 



tllEf* Zuav i<7T0fia$, lib.ix.c. 45. $ Pausanias, lib. ix. c. 21. §Lib.x.c. 13. 



||Cyneget. ii. v. 160, seq. 



