BESTIARIES, the nasne given to certain extremely popular books of the Middle Ages. In the written volumes, sometimes with copions illustrations, were given descriptions of ani mals, real and imaginary, which was which being left to the discretion or knowledge of the readers. They were composed in verse or prose or a tnixture of both, and were designed not only as hand-books of zoology, but as teachers of morals as well. It was the fashion to at tach spiritual meanings to the animals or their actions, until every 9uality of good or evil in the soul of man had its type in the beast world. It is to the bestiaries that we must look for explanation of the strange, grotesque creatures which are found sculptured on the churches and other buildings of the Middle Ages. The oldest Latin bestiaries had an early Greek or iginal, the well-known (Physiologuy under which name about 50 such allegones were grouped. The Greek text of this famous work is found only in manuscript. There are old Syriac, Armenian, Ethiopic, Arabic, Icelandic and numerous Latin versions. Editions of the Latin have been issued—Mai, Heider and Cahier. An Old High German version was made earlier than the Ilth century; in the 12th century versions in French were made by Phil ippe de Thaun and Guillaume, a priest of Nor mandy. The (Bestiary of Love) of Richard
de Fournival was rather a parody upon the earlier form of such books. The following is a characteristic extract from the (Divine Bes tiary' : eThe unicorn has but one horn in the middle of its forehead. It is the only animal that ventures to attack the elephant; and so sharp is the nail of its foot, that with one blow it rips up the belly of that most terrible of all beasts. The hunters can catch the imicorn only by placing a young virgin in the forest which it haunts. No sooner does this marvelous ani mal descry the damsel than it runs toward her, lies down at her feet, and so suffers itself to be taken by the hunters. The unicorn repre sents our Lord Jesus Christ, who, taldng our humanity upon him in the Virgin's womb, was betrayed by the wicked Jews and delivered into the hands of Pilate. Its one horn signifies the gospel truth, that Christ is one with the Father,' etc.