Mr Neill on the Beavers of Scotland. 179 
eel depfendecl on surer grounds, or on his own observation. But 
the very cautiousness of the language in which the report rela- 
tive to Albania is repeated, ought to increase our reliance on its 
authenticity. It would appear, therefore, that in the 12tli cen- 
tury, the beaver still existed in Scotland, but was then a scarce 
animal. 
The first of the native topographers and historians of Scot-^ 
land whose works assumed a printed form, and have come down 
to us, is Hector Boethius, who wrote his Description and History 
about 300 years after the time of Giraldus, or towards the end 
of the 15th century. After describing the dimensions of Loch 
Ness, he says, Ad lacus latera, propter ingenta nemora fe- 
rarum ingens copia est, cervorum, equorum indomitorum, ca- 
preolorum : ad haec, marterellae, fovinae ut vulgo vocantur, 
vulpes, mustelae, Jihri lutrgeque, incomparabile numero, quo- 
i-um tergora exteras gentes ad luxum immenso pretio coemunt 
Here the jihri are enumerated with such perfect confidence 
among the other quadrupeds whose furs were in request for ex- 
portation, that we may seem fastidious as to evidence, if we hesi- 
tate to admit that beavers tvere still to be found at Loch Ness, 
in the time of the author. But the incomparable numbers,” 
and immense prices,” of Boethius, are phrases which may well 
stagger our belief ; and they Ibrm a singular contrast with the 
‘‘ single river” and “ rarity” mentioned by Giraldus three cen- 
turies before. 
It may further be remarked, that Belleiiden, in the transla- 
tion 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 lutroe., mentions hevers without the slight- 
est hesitation. His words are : ‘‘ Mony wyld hors, and amang 
yame ar mony martrikis (pine-martens), bevers, quhitredis 
(weazels), and toddis (foxes), the furringis and skynnis of 
thayme are coft (bought) with great price amang uncouth (fo- 
reign) merchandis i-,” It must be confessed, however, that the 
carelessness and looseness of the translation, as evinced by the 
very passage in question, greatly detract from the conclusive- 
ness of Eellenden‘’s testimony ; for it seems at least fully as pro- 
bable that there were iallow-deer and roes in the forests of Loch 
m2 
Boethius, Scot, Hist. -f Bellenden, Crouiklis of Scotland, 
