210 ON THE BEAVERS OF SCOTLAND. 



may seem fastidious as to evidence, if we hesitate to 

 admit that beavers were still to be found at Loch 

 Ness, in the time of the author. But the " incom- 

 parable number" of Boethius, may well stagger our 

 belief; and forms a singular contrast with the " single 

 river" and " rarity" mentioned by Giraldus three 

 centuries before. 



It may further be remarked, that Bellenden, in 

 the translation of Boethius which he undertook 

 (probably about the year 1536) at the request of 

 King James V., while he omits the cervi, capreoli, 

 and even the lutrce, mentions bevers without the 

 slightest hesitation. His words are : " Mony wyld 

 hors, and amang yame ar mony martrikis (pine-mar- 

 tens), bevers, quhitredis (weazels), and toddis (foxes), 

 the furrings and skynnis of thayme are coft with 

 great price amang uncouth (foreign) merchandis **" 

 It must be confessed, however, that the carelessness 

 of the translation, as evinced by the very passage in 

 question, detracts from the conclusiveness of Bellen- 

 den's testimony ; for it seems at least fully as proba- 

 ble that there were fallow-deer and roes in the fo- 

 rests of Loch Ness, as that there were wild horses 

 there ; and it admits of no doubt whatever, that ot- 

 ters were then to be found on the banks of the lake, 

 for they are so to this day. 



After diligent inquiry, I have not been able to 

 find, that any trace of the remains of these animals 



* Bellenden, Croniklis of Scotland- 



