History of Animal Plagues. ^'y> 



mention the same events as in the previous year, and as occur- 

 ring in the same countries.^ Wirth speaks of the epizooty in 

 Germanv as anthrax. 



A.D. 945. ' There was in this year a furious mortality of 

 people throughout France, caused not only by the famine and 

 scarcitv of food, but by an epidemic malady known as the 

 ' faim canine/ ^ 



A.D. 950. In Ireland, 'a mortality of bees. ^ ^ 



A.D. 952. ' A destruction in Ireland through unknown 

 insects having two teeth. ^* Evidently locusts. 



A.D. 953. 'A great destruction of cows throughout Ireland.^'' 



A.D. 955. ' There was a great dearth of cattle this vear, and 

 many diseases generally reigned all over Ireland, by reason of 

 the great frost and snow, which procured the intemperature of 

 the air.'^ 



A.D. 959. In Ireland, ''a bolt of fire passed southwards 

 through Leinster, and it killed a thousand persons and flocks, as 

 far as Athclaith.^ '' In 960, 'an arrow of fire came from the 

 south-west along Leinster, and killed hundred thousands of 

 men and cattle, with the houses of Dublin burned.' ^ To what 

 extent the lightning caused this mortality cannot be surmised, 

 but it is not improbable that the effects of epidemic and epi- 

 zootic disorders may be referred to, the lio'litnins: beino; used 

 figuratively. 



A.D. 960. A widely-spread destructive malady amongst 

 cattle in the Roman territories. ' And in those days, even long 

 ago, there went on both invading the land of the Romans, and 

 ravaffino; and destroyinc; the horned cattle, the infectious and 

 pestilential affection which is called " crabra." And they say 

 that this affection or disease took its rise in the days of the old 

 Roman (Romanus I., Emperor of the East?); for when very 

 near to the cistern or reservoir (/cti'OTepi'rjs) of Bonus, the Roman 

 was erecting, as a resting-place for himself, a summer palace (or 



' Chronic. .St Maxent. Bouquet. Vol. ix. p. 8. 



^ iMczeray. Hist, de France, 1685. Vol. i. p. 677. 



^ Annals of Ulster. ^ Dowlutg. Annals of Ireland. ■'' Annals of Ulster. 



•"' Annals of Clonmacnoise. 



' Annals of the Four Masters. " Annals of Ulster. 



