ox 



.] NATURAL HISTORY. 227 



heart and right foot with its breath [cum anima sua] be 

 hung on a tree, the birds will gather together upon that 

 tree. Albertus Magnus, "Of the Virtues of Animals." 



Ox. 



THE dewlap or freshlap that hangeth down under his 

 throat and stretcheth to the legs is a token of gentle- 

 ness and nobility in an Ox. Oxen wax fat by washing 

 with hot water. And Oxen with straight horns be ac- 

 counted excellent in work, and black Oxen with little horns 

 be accounted less profitable to working. Of Ox-horns be 

 made tapping and nocks to bows, to arbalisters, and arrows 

 to shoot against enemies, and breast-plates and other armour 

 by the which unstrong places of man's body be warded and 

 defended against shot and smiting of enemies. And of Ox- 

 horns be lanterns made to put off darkness, and combs to 

 right and to cleanse heads of filth. Also writers and painters 

 use the horns, and keep in them divers colours at best. 

 Also there is a little beast like to scarab<eus^ and hight 

 'Burestis, and this burestis beguileth and betrayeth the Ox 

 in the grass, and that is for the Ox treadeth on him. For 

 this burestis lieth among herbs and grass that the Ox 

 loveth, and hideth him therein, and the Ox swalloweth 

 this beast burestis, and he chafeth suddenly the liver of the 

 Ox, and maketh him break with great pain and sorrow. 



Bartholomew (Bertkelet], bk. xviii. 13. 



THEOPHRASTUS approves of feeding Oxen with fish, but 

 Only with live fish. Hortus Sanitatis, bk. ii. 14. 



THERE are Oxen in India which will eat flesh like wolves, 

 and have but one horn and whole hoofs ; some also have 

 three horns. There be Oxen in Leuctria have their ears 

 and horns growing both together forth of one stem. The 

 Oxen of the Geramants and all other neat among them feed 

 with their necks doubled backward, for by reason of their 

 long and hanging horns, they cannot eat their meat hold- 

 ing their heads directly straight. There be Oxen in Phrygia 

 which are of a flaming red colour, of a very high and 

 winding neck ; their horns are not like any other in the 



