castor dicitur a castrando(the beaver’s self-castration)There is an animal called the beaver,
castor dicitur a castrando(the beaver’s self-castration)There is an animal called the beaver, which is extremely gentle; its testicles are are highly suitable for medicine. Physiologus says of it that, when it knows that a hunter is pursuing it, it bites off its testicles and throws them in the hunter’s face and, taking flight, escapes. But if, once again, another hunter is in pursuit, the beaver rears up and displays its sexual organs. When the hunter sees that it lacks testicles, he leaves it alone. (The Aberdeen Bestiary)Bestiary, Salisbury 13th century.British Library, Harley 4751, fol. 9v -- source link
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