WILD OX AND ITS EXTERMINATION 49 
duced) in the German edition of Herberstein's work 
published in 1557 and commonly referred to as the 
Moskovia. 
Pictures of both the aurochs and the bison also occur 
in a map of the world published at Ebstorf towards 
the close of the thirteenth century, and therefore long 
antedating Herberstein's work. This map, which 
appears to be preserved in Hanover, contains coloured 
figures of several kinds of animals, as well as of men. 
It has been stated to be the work of a monk named 
Helmot ; but according to Dr. Hilzheimer,^ the most 
recent writer on the subject, its author is unknown. 
In this map, as illustrative of Russia ("Rucia"), is 
represented a tawny-red ox, with long upright and 
inwardly-curved horns, which bears the inscription 
" Urus." In another illustration, explanatory of the 
products of Asia Minor, is an unmistakable portrait 
of the bison, bearing the inscription " Bonacus " 
( = Bonasus). 
Dr. Mertens, in the paper already quoted, has 
accepted this map as evidence that the aurochs was 
living in Germany at the end of the thirteenth 
century, and likewise that in this part of Europe its 
colour was red. Dr. Hilzheimer, on the other hand, 
believes the figures of the animals to have been copied 
from earlier writers or chartographers, and is of opinion 
that the colour of the aurochs cannot be regarded as true 
to nature, pointing out, among other objections, that the 
colour of the pigment may have changed with time. 
In his opinion, the picture is of no value, either 
as evidence of the existence of the aurochs in 
Germany at the end of the thirteenth century, or 
^ '* Wie hat dcr Ur ausgesehen ? " Jahrbuch fiir whs. u. prakt. Tier- 
zucht, vol. V. p. 74, 1 9 10, 
4 
