WILD OX AND ITS EXTERMINATION 39 
Reverting to Caesar's account, it is a matter for 
regret that the colour of the aurochs is referred to as 
being Hke that of domesticated cattle. Since, how- 
ever, as is shown later, we have evidence that the 
aurochs was black in Poland, but possibly red in 
Germany, it will be obvious that the comparison 
was not made with imported pale-coloured cattle 
from the Roman Campagna, but, most probably, 
with a native dark-coloured breed. The importance 
of this will be noticed in the sequel. 
It will further be noticed that the aurochs evidently 
differed from the bison by its smoother coat, by the 
much greater spread of its horns, and apparently 
also by its superior stature, strength, and speed. 
The large size of the horns is abundantly confirmed 
by that of the bony horn-cores of fossil skulls, as 
well as by a few specimens of the horns them- 
selves, either dug up from the peat, or preserved to 
a late date as drinking-vessels in churches and 
castles. 
It does not appear that Caesar ever saw a living 
wild aurochs, his account having been derived from 
native German hunters, who were well acquainted 
with the animal. On the other hand, it is probable 
that he had seen and drunk from its horns, which 
were at an early date mounted in silver as goblets, 
and were supposed to bring good luck to those who 
drank from them. 
In the year 530 the poet Fortunatus mentions 
that one Gogon had hunted bubali (literally buf- 
faloes) in the Wasgenwald ; but there is little 
doubt that the animals referred to were in reality 
aurochs, as the author states in a later passage 
that his bubaliis is the same animal as the Germans 
