MEMOIR OF GESNER. 45 



only one part of it, which is called Cummernald ; 

 the rest having been destroyed for food. This race 

 of oxen," adds Gesner to the above account, which 

 is partly from another author, " seems properly to 

 be called the white Scottish or Caledonian bison, 

 because it is maned like a lion, as Oppian writes of 

 the bison." 



We must now allude to what forms not the least 

 remarkable or interesting feature in this great work, 

 namely, the woodcuts with which it is so copiously 

 replenished. The great majority of the animals de- 

 scribed are represented by wood-engravings, many 

 of them on a large scale, those of the horse, camel, 

 and swan, for example, nearly filling a folio page, 

 and there are many others of equal magnitude. 

 The number, it is obvious, must therefore be very 

 great, almost every page presenting one or two, 

 and the majority several. By far the greater num- 

 ber of them are well executed, so much so in- 

 deed, that several can be pointed out which would 

 bear comparison with modern specimens of the art. 

 The outlines, in general, are accurately drawn, and 

 although the workmanship is occasionally rather 

 coarse, the figures are, in most cases, not only 

 perfectly recognisable, but even form faithful and cha- 

 racteristic delineations. It is a matter of surprise that 

 artists could then be found capable of representing 

 such objects so well, and that Gesner could incur 

 the expense, for he must have had what may be 

 almost called a little manufactory under his charge ; 

 and we are told that the artists resided in his own 



