Aurochs 1 1 



Bos taunis priscus^ Bos /ossiZ/'s, Urns fossil is, Uri/s co/ossiis, and Bos 

 ccesaris, Keferstein, Natitrgeschichtc, vol. ii. p. 193 (1834). 



Bos taiirus gigantcus, Owen, Brit. Foss. Ma/iini. p. 502 (1846). 



Bos gigantiiis, Davies, Cut. Brady Coll. p. 47 (1874). 



Bos taunts priniiginiiis, Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Ma/iiiii. Brit. Miis. pt. ii. 

 p. 2 (1885). 



History. — Although the wild ox of Europe was originally known 

 as the aurochs, or ur, latinised into uri/s., after its extinction these names 

 became transferred to the bisoi], as the only surviving European repre- 

 sentative of the tribe. Much uncertainty long prevailed with regard to 

 the date when this wild bull ceased to exist in its original condition in the 

 forests of the Continent. Its remains occur abundantly in the later 

 Plistocene deposits of Britain, those from the brick-earth ot Iltord, in 

 Essex, being remarkable for their fine state of preservation, and showing 

 well the enormous dimensions attained by this magnificent animal. 

 Similar remains are met with in many British caverns, and also in the lens 

 of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire ; these latter peat-deposits belonging 

 to the prehistoric period. Other remains indicate that the range of the 

 animal extended southwards into North Africa and eastwards into Western 

 and Northern Asia. The question as to the date of its survival in the 

 wild state in Europe has been taken up by Dr. A. Nehring ot Berlin, and 

 still later by Dr. P. Schiemenz. The most important evidence is afi-orded 

 by one Herberstain, who lived from i486 to 1566, and in 1550 published 

 a work under the title of Moscovia. ^ This work contains figures of 

 two quite distinct types of wild European cattle, one of which is clearly 

 the bison, and the other the aurochs, or ur ; and it is important to notice 

 that Herberstain had no hesitation in referring the latter names to the wild 

 ox as distinct from the bison. Herberstain himself appears to have 



1 Herberstain (Sigism. Baro), Commcntari delta Moscovia et pdrtmente delta Russia, tradotti novamente 

 di latino in lingua Italiana, sm. 410, woodcut map and 6 woodcuts, Venet. G. B. Pedrczzano, I 5 50. 



