Credit: © The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.10131
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    ‘Figure du Taureau de la Floride’

    Date
    1582
    Object type
    Library reference
    Tracts/X306/2
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (print): 230mm
    width (print): 162mm
    Subject
    Description
    Figure of a North American bison [‘Bull of Florida’], viewed from the side.

    In discussing the animal the author notes that: “Theuet tome 2...dict, qu'en la Floride se trouvent des grans Taureax, que les Sauvages appellant Butrol, qui ont les cornes longues seulement d'un pied, ayant sur le dos une tumeur, ou bosse comme d'un chameau, le poil long par dessus le dos, de coleur fauve , la queue comme celle d'un Lion.” (Theuet in volume 2...says that in Florida there are great bulls, called Butrol by the Indians, which have long horns, only one foot, a hump like a camel on the back, long hair of a fawn colour over the back and a tail like a Lion).

    Illustration from Discours d'Ambroise Pare ... a scavoir, de la mumie, de la licorne, des venins, et de la peste, avec une table des plus notables matieres contenues esdit discours (chez Gabriel Buon, Paris, 1582), f.26.

    Ambroise Paré (c.1510-1590) was a French barber surgeon and anatomist who served several Kings of France.
    Associated place
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