THE ANNALS OF IRISH ZOOLOGY. 439 
In that portion of the work which relates to Ireland (vol. 1., 
chapters xxxii—xxxvi., ed. Babington), the compiler, as might 
have been expected, has borrowed largely from the work of his 
predecessor, Giraldus. The nature of the information which he 
imparts, and which is often very tersely expressed, may be seen 
from the following extracts. To some readers, possibly, the 
quaint English translation by John of Trevisa might be more 
acceptable than the original Latin. But we prefer to quote from 
the latter, because John of Trevisa is not always literal in his 
translation, and in cases where he has evidently failed to identify 
an animal by its Latin name he has preferred to omit all 
mention of it rather than venture upon a translation which might 
possibly be erroneous. In some cases, moreover, where he has 
supplied an English name, he has malidentified the species. In 
an inquiry like the present it is important to note this. 
Higden thus refers to the natural productions of Ireland :— 
“Terra hee magis vaccis quam bobus, pascuis quam frugibus, 
gramine quam grano fecunda. Abundat tamen salmonibus, 
murenis, anguillis, et ceteris marinis piscibus ; aquilis quoque, 
gruibus, pavonibus, coturnicibus, niso, falcone et accipitre 
generoso. Lupos quoque habet, mures nocentissimos; sed et 
araneas, sanguisugas et lacertas habet innocuas. Mustelas 
quoque parvi corporis sed valde animosas possidet. Habet et 
aves quas ‘ bernaces’ vocant, quas ancis silvestribus similes de 
lignis abietinis quasi contra naturam natura producit. * * * * 
Item Beda dicit caprorum venatu insulam fere insignem, cum 
tamen constet cum semper capreis caruisse. Nec mirum; cum 
Beda nihil de hac insula occulis suis cognoverit sed per relatorem 
audierit.” * 
Of the fere nature absent from Ireland, Higden writes :— 
* Desunt hic degeneres falcones quos laniarios [Lanners] vocant, 
desunt et gyrofalcones, perdices, phasiani, pice et philomele. 
* It is possible that by “‘ venatu caprorum” Bede did not intend to refer 
to the chase of the Roe-deer, as Higden and his translator have assumed, 
but to the Wild Goat, which in some parts of Ireland is still to be met with 
atthe present day. In Achill, as we have lately been informed by Mr. R. 
Payne Gallwey, Wild Goats still abound, and, from the inaccessible nature 
of the cliffs which they frequent, as well as from their natural wildness, they 
are almost unapproachable even with a rifle. 
