History of Animal Plagues. 103 



succession for six-and-twenty years shook the surface of the 

 earth, even to the western shores of Europe, f'rom the very 

 beginning the air partook of the terrestrial concussion, atmo- 

 spherical waters overflowed the land, or its plants and animals 

 perished under the scorching heat. The insect tribe was wonder- 

 fully called into life, as if animated beings were destined to com- 

 plete the destruction which astral and telluric powers had begun. 

 Thus did this dreadful work of nature advance from year to 

 year; it was a progressive infection of the zones, which exerted 

 a powerful influence both above and beneath the surface of the 

 earth ; and after having been perceptible in slighter indications, 

 at the commencement of the terrestrial commotions in China, 

 convulsed the whole earth. ^ 



Observers have remarked that in many instances the lower 

 animals were strangely affected, and that fatal disease among 

 them either preceded, accompanied, or followed the Black Death. 

 Cutteis, for example, says, ' Rapacious wolves howled around the 

 walls of the cities by night and sated themselves with human 

 blood, though not by hiding in secret places, but by openly 

 bursting into the houses and tearino; the children from the 

 breasts of their mothers. And not only did the children suffer 

 from their cruel teeth, but even well-armed men, and they also 

 devoured many bodies by digging up the graves of the dead. 

 rhey seemed not to be wolves, but demons. Cuckoos and owls, 

 sitting on the housetops by night, used to utter dismal sounds; 

 bats in swarms on the houses, and while buildmg their nests in 

 the roofs, made a strange noise; crows without number, flying 

 about by day over the country, croaked ominously ; kites and 

 vultures in great crowds, while soarint!" in the air, oavc vent 

 to doleful cries; and many other birds in the woods, and diflcr- 

 ent brute beasts, coming from their lairs, wandered about the 

 country in great multitudes, giving many extraordinary signs of 

 evil import. ... In the first place^ a virulent plague broke 

 among the brute animals. Scab and leprosy attacked horses, 

 oxen, sheep, and goats, so that the hair fell from ofl" their bodies, 



1 A portion of this description is taken from Hecker's admirable History of llic 

 Epidemics of the Middle Ages, translated by Dr Habington, and publislud by ihc 

 Sydenham Society. j 



