Sloane MS 278

Contents:

ff. 1r-43v: Hugh of Fouilloy or Hugo de Folieto (b. c. 1100, d. c. 1172), prior of St.-Nicholas-de-Regny, Aviarium, or De avibus, consisting of 60 chapters in two sections:

37 chapters of mostly scriptural exegesis, drawing on the Bible and the Greek Physiologus. The first 11 chapters are on the dove, with reference to Psalm 67: 14. The next 11 chapters are on the winds and the hawk, followed by 15 chapters on the turtledove and the sparrow and their nesting places in the palm and cedar (ff. 1r-16r);

23 chapters, each devoted to a type of bird, taken from medieval sources such as the Etymologiae of Isidore of Seville, the De natura rerum of Hrabanus Maurus (ff. 16r-43v);

ff. 44r-57v: A Bestiary, in the Dicta Chrysostomi form, so-called because of its medieval attribution to John Chrysostom (b. c. 349, d. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople, though the text is thought to have originated in France around 1000.

Decoration:

One full-page diagram in a frame and central roundel in colours and gold (f. 2v). Numerous large miniatures in colours (29 of the aviarium; 24 of the bestiary). 1 large puzzle initial in blue and red with red and blue penwork decoration (f. 1*r). Large initials in blue with red penwork decoration or pen-flourishing, or in red, usually with blue penwork decoration or pen-flourishing. Highlighting of letters in red.

The subjects of the images are:

f. 1v: A dove ('columba') and a hawk ('accipiter') in a frame with columns and arches;

f. 2v: A diagram of the dove in Christian doctrine, with a large circle in the middle containing a golden dove, and 4 circles at the corners, all with inscriptions on the significance of the dove in the Old and New Testaments;

ff. 4r: The dove of Christ, the dove of David and the dove of Noah;

f. 7r: The Virgin, standing, holding the Christ Child in one hand and a bowl of fruit (?) in the other, and to the left, a kneeling monk;

f. 7v: An eagle ('aquilo');

f. 10v: A palm tree ('palma');

f. 12r: A turtle dove ('turturis');

f. 13v: A cedar tree ('cedrus') with seated figure on a chair in the centre, surrounded by 6 birds in nests;

f. 16r: A pelican on a nest biting her breast, with four chicks beneath her ('mors pelicani');

f. 17r: A raven ('niticorax');

f. 18r: A crow ('corvus');

f. 20r: A cockerel ('gallus');

f. 22r: A large grey bird with a horseshoe in its mouth;

f. 26r: A vulture ('vultur');

f. 27r: A crane ('grue');

f. 28r: A kite ('milvus');

f. 28v: A swallow ('yrundinis');

f. 30r: A stork ('ciconia');

f. 30v: A blackbird ('merula');

f. 31v: An owl ('bubo');

f. 32r: A jackdaw ('gragulus');

f. 34r: A heron ('ardea');

f. 34v: A caladrius bird predicting the outcome of illness, with two figures lying ill;

f. 35v: A phoenix ('fenix');

f. 36r: A partridge ('perdix');

f. 37r: A quail ('coturnix');

f. 37v: A hoopoe ('huppupa');

f. 38r: A swan ('cignus');

f. 39r: A peacock ('pavo');

f. 41r: An eagle ('aquila');

f. 42v: A coot ('fulica');

f. 43r: An ibis ('hybis');

f. 44r: A lion;

f. 44v: A panther and a dragon;

f. 46r: A unicorn is killed by two knights, one with a sword and the other with a lance, and places its paws in a maiden's lap, with two saddled horses behind the knights, tethered to a tree;

f. 47r: A siren pulling a sailor from a boat by the hair, while another sailor stops his ears to avoid hearing the siren's song, with a centaur holding a bow below;

f. 47v: A crocodile with a small creature in its stomach ('ydrus cocodrillo');

f. 48r: A hyena;

f. 48v: Elephants, a dragon and a mandrake;

f. 49v: A wild ass ('onager');

f. 50r: Above, monkeys, one holding its young ('simia'); below, a hunter spearing an 'antula' or 'aptolops';

f. 50v: A lizard or dragon ('lacerta');

f. 51r: Above, a saw-fish ('serra') and a ship; below, vipers ('vipera') mating and the female giving birth, with the young gnawing through her side;

f. 51v: Deer ('cervus');

f. 52r: A goat ('capra') climbing a mountain and a traveller ('viator') with a stick following behind;

f. 53r: A fox ('vulpe') lying on its back, with two birds attacking, one pecking its tongue;

f. 53v: An asida ('ostrich') with eggs;

f. 54r: Beavers ('castor') with a hunter;

f. 54v: Ants ('formica') walking in a row from a building to a field of grain;

f. 55v: Hedgehogs ('herinacius') climbing a tree and eating fruit;

f. 56r: Above, a salamander and below, a weasel ('mustela');

f. 56v: A basilisk ('basilicus');

f. 57r: A dragon and an elephant;