GRIFFIN. | NATURAL HISTORY. 137 
dwelleth in those hills that be called Hyperborean, and be 
most enemies to horses and men, and grieveth them most, 
and layeth in his nest a stone that hight Smaragdus against 
venomous beasts of the mountain. 
Bartholamew (Berthelet), bk. xii. § 19. 
Tuer Gripes are of colour of a dark ochre on the base, 
their breast of purple colour, their wings brown and white, 
' their talons black, and the beak turning“ as doth the eagle’s ; 
_he is more higher than the lion,—the hinder feet cloven as 
the stag’s,—able to carry away the weight of two men, a 
stag, or the like beast. 
Batman's addition to Bartholomew, bk. xii. § 19. 
GrirFrins dig up gold and delight in looking ‘at it when 
dug up. The body of a large Griffin is larger than eight 
lions of those parts; for having killed an ox, a horse, or 
even an armed man, it lifts them up and carries them off 
in its flight. Hortus Sanitatis, bk. iii. § 56. 
Tuey build their nests of the gold which they dig up, 
and lay two eggs larger, harder, hotter and drier than those 
of eagles. 
Fouston, *‘ Natural History,” bk. iii., appendix, ch. i. 
Gripes keep the mountains, in the which be gems and 
precious stones, as emerald and jasper, and suffer them not 
to be taken from thence. And in some countries in 
Scythia is plenty of gold and of precious stones; but for 
great Gripes men dare not come thither openly, but seld 
for fierceness of Gripes. There is best emerald and crystal. 
And the Gripe hath so great claws and so large, that of 
them be made cups that be set upon boards of kings. 
Bartholomew (Berthelet), bk. xviii. § 56. 
In that country [Bacharie] be many Griffins, more plenty 
than in any other country. One Griffin is more great 
and stronger than an .hundred eagles such as we have 
among us. For one Griffin there will bear, flying to his 
nest, a great horse, or two oxen yoked together, as they 
go at the plough. For he hath his talons so long and so 
large and great upon his feet, as though they were horns 
