1902-1903.] Natural History in Earlier Days. 5 



fauns and satyrs, and monsters of every kind, such as the 

 elephant-headed or dog-faced man, the man-ass, and the dog- 

 man, are figured and described, as if they had been encountered 

 every day. The eale, credited with having movable horns, and 

 the leucocrotta, an animal able to imitate the human voice, 

 were believed to exist. The unicorn is another fabulous 

 animal, the existence of which was believed in until com- 

 paratively recent years. Large sums of money, even as much 

 as £10,000, were given for the venerated horns of this animal, 

 in the belief that they prevented the owner from being poisoned : 

 they even formed royal gifts. But, as a matter of fact, these 

 reputed unicorn horns belonged to the common sea-lion or 

 narwhal. 



The metamorphosis of men into wolves is an idea of very 

 ancient date, and Olaus Magnus describes the many horrors 

 committed in Sweden by these wolves. 



That goats eat serpents is even still believed ; but of all 

 extraordinary beliefs, that of the barnacle goose is perhaps as 

 extraordinary as any. This goose was supposed to be generated 

 on trees and dropped into the water alive. In the Orkney 

 Islands it was said that the fruit of certain trees produced 

 geese. 



The dragon figures largely in the mythical history and 

 poetry of most nations, and mermaids and mermen are 

 another class of mythical beings thoroughly believed in by 

 our forefathers. Olaus Magnus figures an enormous polyp 

 dragging a sailor from his ship. This may really apply to 

 the octopus, specimens of which have been met with possess- 

 ing arms 30 feet in length. 



The connection between the soul and bees was once generally 

 allowed, hence bees were admitted to Paradise by Mahomet. 



[In illustration of the above paper, a large number of 

 beautiful lantern slides, prepared by Mrs Aitchison Eobertson 

 from the figures contained in the works of the various authors 

 referred to, were exhibited.] 



