APPENDIX D. (FOREST OF BIALAVIEJA.) 
639 
Ut, mirum ! si quando caput vi victa reclinet. 
Ties sedeant intra cornua bina viri. 
Barba riget late, pendentibus liorrida villis ; 
Lumina, tcrrorum plena, furore rubent. 
Terribilesque jubae collo funduntur in armos, 
Et genua, et frontcra et pectoris ima tegunt. 
Villosum toto prae se fert corpore caprum, 
Quamvis effingunt omnia membra bovem.” 
Hussoviams de Bisonte et ejus venatione. Cracow, 1523. 
This poem was published at a time when the Tur was still found in the forests of Mazovia, but it 
distinctly says that the Zubr is a native of Lithuania. The biographer of Cardinal Commendom, who 
accompanied this prelate in his journeys to Poland, the last of which was in 1572, says, in his description 
of Poland, that there are both Turs and Zubrs, that the Tur very much resembles an ox, and that its 
flesh has almost the same taste as beef. The Zubrs were already at that time more rare than the Turs, 
which are now entirely extinct. 
The same author gives a curious description of the manner in which the Zubr was hunted. I had 
from Mr. Hallam a French copy of this work, from which I have largely drawn in the first chapter of the 
2nd vol. of the ‘ History of the Reformation in Poland.’ The title is, as well as I can remember, “ Vie 
du Cardinal Commendom, par Gratiani, traduite en Fran^ais (from Latin, or Italian, I do not remember) 
par Flechier.” There was in the collection of the last king of Poland, a volume of drawings represent- 
ing different subjects relating to the Council of Constance ; one of them contained the presentation to 
the assembled fathers of a live Zubr, sent by Ladislaus Jajellon king of Poland. This proves that it 
was regarded as a rare and curious animal, even at the beginning of the fifteenth century. 
There are many stories related concerning the extraordinary strength of this animal. An ancient 
chronicle mentions that at a hunt given by King Alexander of Poland (who died in 1506), the Altan, 
whence his Queen Helena looked at the sport with her ladies, was overturned by the Zubrs running 
against it with great violence. 
I may add that the work of Baron Brinken on the forest of Bialavieja is very important for its descrip- 
tion of the flora as well as fauna of that tract, “ Memoir e Descriptive sur la Fordt de Bialawieza,” par le 
Bn. Brinken. Varsovie chez Gliiksberg, 1828.” According to his account, there were at that time 875 
head of Zubrs living in the forest 1 . 
1 After we were favoured with the above communication of Count de Krasinski, we observed that Professor 
Eichwald, in his work (Naturhistorische Skizze von Lithauen, Volhynien, und Podolien, Vilna, 1830), had given a 
very complete account of the forest of Bialavieja, and of its inhabitants the Auers or Aurochses. Among other pecu- 
liarities of these very wild animals, it is stated, that for spring and summer food they select Ranunculus repens, 
Cirsium oleraccum, Hieroch/oe borealis, and other acrid and bitter plants, and such shrubs as Lonicera, Rhamnus, 
&c., with lichens and tree mosses ; and in winter the young trees of Calluna vulgaris, which they prefer to hay or 
any other food (birch and fir-trees being never touched by them). They roll and enjoy themselves in dry sand, 
seldom drink, and go whole days without water ; that of the muddy rain-pools being adequate for them, though 
when pursued by wolves they swim well. The Aurochs lives to about forty, and breeds to thirty years of age, and 
offers no example of a cross with the domestic cow, to the smell of which he has a great antipathy. Owing to his 
great weight he is a slow mover, and when pressed is exhausted in a verst. In defence he can master three wolves, 
but falls a prey to a greater number. In the work of M. Eichwald it is further stated, that at a royal Polish chase 
of Augustus III. in 1752, forty-two of these animals were killed; and that in the year 1828 the total number 
was 696. A plan of the Forest is given, in which a river Biala is marked. (See ante, pp. 503, 504 and notes.) 
4 N 2 
