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OF THE AFFRICAN BVGILL.
BEllonius reporteth, that he saw in Cair a small beast which was in all things like a little Oxe, of a beautifull body, full of flesh, well and neately limmed, which he could take for no other then the Affrican Oxe, or Bugill of the old Graecians, which was brought out of the kingdome of Asamia vnto the citty Cair. It was old, and not so big [ 10] as a Hart, but greater then a Roe; he neuer in all his life tooke more pleasure to behold a beast, then in viewing the excellent beauty of euery part in this creature. His haire was yellowish, glistering as if it had beene combed and trimmed by the art of a Barber: vnder his belly it was somewhat more red and taunty then vpon his backe. His feete in all thinges like a vulgar Bugils, his Legges short and strong, the necke short and thicke, whereon the dewe-laps of his crest did scarce appeare. His head like an Oxes, and his hornes growing out of the crowne of his head, blacke, long, and bending like a halfe Moone; whereof he hath no vse to defend himselfe, or annoy another, by reason their points turne inward. His eares like a cowes, and shoulder blades standing vp a little aboue the ridge very strongly. His taile, to the [ 20] knees like a camelopardals, from whence hangeth some few blacke haires, twice so great as the haires in a horsses tayle. His voice was like an Oxes, but not so strong and loude: to conclude therefore, for his discription, if a man conceiue in his mind a little yellovv neate Oxe, with smooth haire, strong members, and high hornes aboue his head, like a halfe Moone, his minde cannot erre from the true and perfect shape of this beast. There was such a one to be seene of late at Florence, vnder the name of an Indian Oxe, sauing his head was greater and longer, his hornes not high nor bending together, but standing vp∣right and a little wreathing into spires aboue their roote, and the hinder part of the back much lower then the shoulders, but it may be the obseruer of this beast fayled and tooke [ 30] not the true discription of it.
This creature or Affrican Bugill, must be vnderstood to be a Wilde beast, and not of a tame kind, although Bellonius expresseth not so much. Leo in his discription of Affrique, relateth a discourse of a certaine beast called Laut or Daut, who is lesse then an Oxe, but of more elegant feature, in his Legs, white hornes, & blacke nailes, which is so swift, that no beast can outrunne it except a Barbary horse: it is taken most easily in the Summer time: with the skinne thereof they make targets and shieldes, which cannot be pierced by any Weapon, except Gunshot: for which cause they fell them very deare; which is con∣iectured to be the Bugill that Bellonius describeth, although it bee not iust of the same co∣lour, which may vary in this beast as well as in any other, and I haue a certaine Manu∣script without the authors name, that affirmeth there be bugils in Lybia, in likenes resem∣bling [ 40] a Hart and an Oxe, but much lesser, and that these beasts are neuer taken asleepe, which causeth an opinion that they neuer sleepe; and that there is another Bugill beyond the Alpes, neere the Ryuer Rhene, which is very fierce and of a white Co∣lour.
There is a horne in the towne-house of Argentine foure Romane cubits long, which is coniectured to be the horne of some Vrus [or rather as I thinke of some Bugill] it hath hung there at the least two or three generations, and by scraping it I found it to be a horne, although I forgat to measure the compasse thereof, yet bycause antiquity thought it wor∣thy to be reserued in so honorable a place for a monument of some strange beast, I haue also thought good to mention it in this discourse: as when Phillip King of Macedon, did [ 50] with a Dart kill a Wilde Bull at the foote of the Mountaine Orbelus, and conse cated the hornes thereof in the Temple of Hercules, which were fifteene yards or paces long for posterity to behold.