CHAPTER III 
THE WILD OX AND ITS EXTERMINATION 
T^HE earliest historical evidence we possess of 
1 the former existence of the wild ox or aurochs 
in western Europe is contained in Julius Csesar's 
De Bello GallicOy book vi. chap, xxix., where the 
following passage occurs : — 
" Tertium est genus eorum qui uri appellantur. Hi 
sunt magnitudinse paulo infra elephantos, specio et 
colore et figura tauri. Magna vis eorum et magna 
velocitas ; neque homini neque ferae, quam con- 
spexerunt, parcunt. . . . Amplitudo cornuum et 
figura et species multum a nostrorum boum cornibus 
differt." 
This may be freely translated as follows : — 
" There is a third kind of these animals which are 
called uri. In size these are but little inferior to 
elephants, although in appearance, colour, and form 
they are bulls. Their strength and their speed are 
great. They spare neither men nor beasts when they 
see them. ... In the expanse of their horns, as well 
as in form and appearance, they differ much from 
our [domesticated] oxen." 
The wild oxen referred to in this passage — which was 
written about the year 65 B.C. — inhabited the great 
Hercynian Forest, the Hercynia or Orcynia Silva, 
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