Chap. 16.] A^^MALS OF THE KOBTH. 263 



possessed of remarkable strength and swiftness. To these, the 

 vulgar, in their ignorance, have given the name of bubalus :** 

 whereas, that animal is really produced in Africa, and rather 

 bears a resemblance to the calf and the stag. 



CHAP. 16. THE AXTMALS OF THE >'0RTH ; THE ELK, THE 



ACHLIS, A>'I) THE BO>'ASUS. 



The !N"orth, too, produces herds of wild horses, as Africa and 

 Asia do of wild asses ; ^ there is, also, the elk, which strongly 

 resembles our steers, except that it is distinguished by the 

 length of the ears and of the neck. There is also the acblis,''' 

 which is produced in the island of Scandinavia ; *^ it has never 

 been seen in this city, although we have had descriptions of 

 it fi'om many persons ; it is not unlike the elk, but has no 

 joints in the hind leg. Hence, it never lies down, but reclines 

 against a tree while it sleeps ; it can only be taken by pre- 

 viously cutting into the tree, and thus laying a trap for it, as 

 otherwise, it would escape through its swittness. Its upper lip 

 is so extremely large, for wliich reason it is obliged to go back- 

 wards when grazing ; otherwise, by moring onwards, the lip 

 would get doubled up. In Pseonia, it is said, there is a wild 



sidered as confirming the opinion, that both animals were in existence when 

 Pliny wrote. — B. 



^ This appears to have been a species of antelope, the Antelope bubalus 

 of Linnseus. Cuvier observes, that Strabo places it among the gazelles, 

 and Aristotle associates it with the stag and the deer, while Oppiau's de- 

 scription of the urns, agrees with those of the gazelle. — B, 



^•^ We learn from various travellers, that there are troops of wild horses 

 and asses in many parts of Tartary and the neighbouring countries ; but 

 it is doubtful whether they have proceeded from an original wild stock, or 

 may not have been the produce of some individuals which had accidentally 

 escaped from the domestic state. — B. 



^' Xo doubt Pliny has fallen into an error on this subject, and his elk 

 and achlis are, in reality, the same animal. The description of the latter, 

 for the most part, applies to the former, vdih the exception of the want 

 of joints in the legs, which is entirely without foundation. Caesar's ac- 

 coimt of the elk, Bell. Gall. B. vi. c. 27, agrees generally with Pliny's 

 account of the achlis ; he also says, that the legs of the alces are " with- 

 out articulations and joints." 



^^ The Romans had but a veiy imperfect knowledge of the Scandinavian 

 peninsula. They supposed it to be suiTo'inded by the ocean, and to be com- 

 posed of many islands, which Ptolemy calls Scandiae. Of these, the largest 

 bore especially the name of Scandia or Scandinavia, by which name the 

 modern Sweden was probably indicated. See B. iv. c. SO. 



