Piotr Daszkiewicz, Tomasz
Samojlik
Napoleon, Białowieża Forest and the
Last Bison from Transylvania
Echa Przeszłości 15, 67-73
P io tr D a s z k ie w ic z M u s e u m N a tio n a l d ’H is to ir e N a tu r e lle P a r is , F ra n c e T o m a s z S a m o jlik M a m m a l R e s e a rc h I n s t i t u t e , P o lis h A c a d e m y o f S c ie n c e s B ia ło w ie ż a
NAPOLEON, BIAŁOWIEŻA FOREST
AND THE LAST BISON FROM TRANSYLVANIA
Słowa kluczowe: wojny napoleońskie, żubr, h isto ria nauki, T ransylw ania (Siedmio gród), Puszcza Białowieska
Key words: Napoleonic w ars, E uropean bison, history of science, Transylvania, Białowieża Forest A lth o u g h a rc h a e o lo g ic a l d a t a e v id e n c e s t h a t in th e e a r ly M id d le A ges E u r o p e a n b is o n r o a m e d la r g e a r e a s o f C e n tr a l a n d E a s t e r n E u ro p e , a lr e a d y in th e s ix te e n th c e n tu r y th e r a n g e o f t h i s sp e c ie s h a s s h r u n k to th e G r a n d D u c h y o f L ith u a n ia , P r u s s ia , M o ld a v ia a n d th e C a u c a s u s . I n th e c o u rs e o f n e x t c e n tu r ie s , c o n s e c u tiv e p o in ts w e re e r a s e d fro m th e m a p o f th e d i s t r i b u tio n o f fre e -liv in g b is o n h e r d s . I n t h e e n d o f th e 1 8 th c e n tu ry , o n ly o n e p la c e r e m a in e d o n th i s m a p : B ia ło w ie ż a F o re s t. A t t h a t tim e , e v e n th e m o s t p r o m i n e n t n a t u r a l i s t s d id n o t b e lie v e in th e e x is te n c e o f b is o n p o p u la tio n s in C a u c a s u s o r in to d a y ’s R o m a n ia 1. N o w o n d e r t h a t in th e 1 9 th c e n tu ry , th is s p e c ie s e n jo y e d a g r e a t i n t e r e s t o f n a t u r a l i s t s a n d w a s a s u b je c t o f m a n y p u b lic a tio n s , s o m e tim e s e v e n th e m a in m o tiv a tio n fo r s c ie n tific e x c u r s io n s to B ia ło w ie ż a F o r e s t, sin c e 1795 p a r t o f th e R u s s ia n E m p ire . M o s t o f t h e m u s e u m s a n d n a t u r a l c o lle c tio n s c o n s id e re d o w n in g a b is o n e x h ib it, b e i t a s k e le to n , f u r o r o th e r a n a to m ic a l p a r t, a p o in t o f h o n o u r.
1 Daszkiewicz P., Samojlik T. 2004. The history of rediscovery of the European bison in the
Caucasus in the 19th century. „Przegląd Zoologiczny” 48(1-2): 73-82 (In Polish with English
6 8 Piotr Daszkiewicz, Tomasz Samojlik
“M isk a ” from V ien n a
C o n q u e s ts o f N a p o le o n ’s a r m y i n E u r o p e w e re a c c o m p a n ie d b y c o n fisc a tio n o f n a t u r a l h is to r y c o lle c tio n s in th e o c c u p ie d c o u n trie s . A r iv e r o f s p e c i m e n s fro m th e c a b in e ts o f c u r io s itie s , c h u rc h , sc ie n tific i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d m u s e u m c o lle c tio n s in c o n q u e re d c o u n tr ie s w a s flo w in g to F r a n c e 2. A m o n g th e s to le n ite m s , th e r e w a s a lso a s k e le to n (a n d p e r h a p s o th e r p a r ts ) o f a n E u r o p e a n b is o n fro m V ie n n a . T h e o rig in o f t h i s b is o n r e m a in s a m y ste ry . J a n S z to lc m a n (1 8 5 4 -1 9 2 8 ) a d d r e s s e d i t in a 1 9 2 4 t r e a t i s e e n title d “M a te r ia ls to th e n a t u r a l h is to r y o f th e E u r o p e a n b is o n (B is o n b o n a s u s L in n .)”: “H u n g a ry , i n t h e s t r i c t s e n s e o f th e w o rd , w a s d e v o id o f E u r o p e a n b is o n a lr e a d y in th e 1 6 th c e n tu ry . T h e y s u rv iv e d in T r a n s y lv a n ia (...) u n t i l th e e n d o f th e 1 8 th c e n tu ry . T h e l a s t o n e w a s k ille d b y a p o a c h e r in 1790. I n 1809, h o w ev er, a b is o n n a m e d M is k a (M ic h k a ) s till liv e d in V ie n n a . I t c a m e fro m T r a n s y lv a n ia , w h e re i t w a s c a p tu r e d a s a c a lf in 1788. I t w a s a fa v o r ite o f th e V ie n n e se p u b lic i n fig h ts w ith w o lv e s, dogs, b u lls , etc. D u r in g th e c irc u s fire in 1796, it b ro k e th e c h a in s , fe lle d th e fen ce a n d s a v e d its e lf, a s th e o n ly a n im a l t h a t s u rv iv e d t h i s te r r ib le c o n fla g ra tio n . A fte r th e a c c id e n t, th e b is o n liv e d fo r a n o th e r 13 y e a r s in S c h o n b ru n n . R u m o r h a s i t t h a t d u r in g th e F r e n c h in v a s io n its s k e le to n w a s d u g o u t a n d tr a n s p o r t e d to th e M u s e u m o f th e J a r d i n d e s P la n te s [p o p u la r n a m e o f th e N a tio n a l M u s e u m o f N a t u r a l H is to r y in P a r i s - M N H N ]. I t is w o r th to c h e c k t h i s in f o r m a tio n ”3.
O v e r a c e n tu r y h a s p a s s e d sin c e th e p u b lic a tio n o f th e s e w o rd s b u t th e f a te o f th e l a s t b is o n fro m T r a n s y lv a n ia s till h a s n o t b e e n e x p la in e d . W e h a v e th e r e f o r e d e c id e d to follow t h e s u g g e s tio n o f J a n S z to lc m a n a n d c h e c k w h a t is k n o w n a b o u t th e b is o n i n th e 1 9 th - c e n tu r y F r e n c h l i t e r a t u r e a n d a rc h iv e s a n d co lle c tio n o f M N H N .
M a rcel d e S e r r e s a n d th e F r e n c h a rm y in V ien n a
M a rc e l d e S e r r e s (1 7 8 3 -1 8 6 2 ), F r e n c h zo o lo g ist a n d g e o lo g ist w a s a p p o in te d b y G e n e r a l P ie r r e D a r u (1 7 6 7 -1 8 2 9 ) fo r m ilita r y se rv ic e b e fo re N a p o le o n ’s v ic to rio u s c a m p a ig n o f 1809. T h is n a t u r a l i s t fro m M o n tp e llie r w a s e n t r u s t e d w ith a v e r y i m p o r t a n t a n d d a n g e r o u s fu n c tio n o f a m a p c o u rier. T h a n k s to h is c o u ra g e , la u d e d b y N a p o le o n h im s e lf, a m o n th l a t e r de S e r r e s w a s p ro c la im e d a n in s p e c to r of sc ie n ce a n d in d u s t r y i n th e n e w ly o c c u p ie d2 Daszkiewicz P., Bauer A. M. 2003. The confiscation and replacement of herpetological
collections by France under the first republic and empire, with notes on an historically impor tant collection sent to Vienna in 1815. “International Society for the History and Bibliography of
Herpetology Newsletter and Bulletin” 4(1): 15-27.
3 Sztolcman J. 1924. Materiaux pour l’histoire naturelle et pour l’histoire du Bison d’Euro
pe (Bison bonasus Linn.). „Prace Zoologiczne Polskiego Państwowego Muzeum Przyrodniczego
A u s tr ia . H is d u tie s in c lu d e d n o t o n ly th e p r e p a r a tio n o f r e p o r ts a n d sc ie n tific d e s c rip tio n s b u t a lso th e m a n a g e m e n t o f s e iz u re s . U n d e r h is s u p e rv is io n , m a n y b o x e s o f sc ie n tific i n s t r u m e n t s , liv e p la n ts , zoological a n d m in e ra lo g i- c a l sp e c im e n s , a s w e ll a s liv e a n im a ls fro m V ie n n a w e re s e n t to P a r is . D u r in g t h i s p e rio d , d e S e r r e s m a in ta in e d a n im a te d c o n ta c ts w ith m a n y e m i n e n t F r e n c h n a t u r a l i s t s ( m a in ly fro m th e m u s e u m in P a ris ).
M a rc e l d e S e r r e s a lso w e n t o n s e v e r a l sc ie n tific jo u r n e y s a n d p r e p a r e d a n u m b e r o f p u b lic a tio n s , in c lu d in g fo u r v o lu m e s o f “Voyage e n A u tr ic h e , ou
e ssa i s u r s ta tis tiq u e e t g é o g r a p h iq u e cet e m p ir e ” [T ra v e l th r o u g h A u s tr ia o r
s ta t i s t i c a l a n d g e o g ra p h ic a l s k e tc h o f th e e m p ire ], a n d th r e e v o lu m e s o f
“E s s a i s u r les a r ts a t les m a n u fa c tu r e s d e l ’E m p ir e d ’A u tr ic h e ” [D e s c rip tio n o f
c r a f ts a n d m a n u f a c tu r e s in th e E m p ir e o f A u s tr ia ] . H e a lso d e s c rib e d th e V ie n n a Zoo a n d B o ta n ic a l G a r d e n o f S c h o n b r u n n in g r e a t d e ta il.
T races le a d in g to L ith u a n ia
T h e l a t t e r p u b lic a tio n in c o r p o r a te d th e f i r s t d e s c r ip tio n o f M is k a 4, i n th e s e c tio n d e s c rib in g th e zoo: “m a n y r a r e a n im a ls liv e d in t h e m e n a g e r ie in S c h o n b ru n n , to q u o te o n ly th e w ild b u ffa lo o f T r a n s y lv a n ia , k n o w n to n a t u r a l i s t s u n d e r th e n a m e o f b is o n [in o rig in a l: a u r o c h s - th e w ro n g n a m e c o m m o n ly u s e d in F r e n c h o f t h a t e r a to d e fin e E u r o p e a n b iso n ] (B os U rus) (...). E u r o p e a n b is o n is n o w a d a y s a lm o s t a n e x tin c t sp e c ie s. O n e c a n fin d it o n ly in L ith u a n ia . I t s e e m s i t w a s o n ce q u ite c o m m o n i n t h e w o o d la n d s o f th i s p a r t o f E u ro p e , a s w e ll a s in H u n g a ry . S in c e I h a d th e o p p o r tu n ity to o b se rv e th e r e [in V ie n n a ] a liv in g a n im a l, w h ic h A r is to tle d e s c rib e d a s bo- n a s s o s (...) I th o u g h t t h a t a s im ila r d e s c r ip tio n m ig h t b e o f i n t e r e s t to n a t u r a l i s t s (...). W h a t m a k e s t h i s d e s c r ip tio n e v e n m o re i n t e r e s t i n g is th e fa c t t h a t r e m a in s o f th e s a m e in d iv id u a l I h a v e s e e n a liv e h a v e b e e n d e p o s ite d in t h e m u s e u m i n P a r i s ” . O n t h e f o llo w in g 2 0 p a g e s a u t h o r p r e s e n t s a d e s c rip tio n o f b is o n (in c lu d in g a n a to m ic a l m e a s u r e m e n ts ) a n d th e a n a ly s is o f h is to r ic a l t e x ts a b o u t th e b is o n a n d a u r o c h s (B os p r im ig e n iu s ).
A t th e e n d o f th e t e x t de S e r r e s s h a r e s so m e in f o r m a tio n t h a t s u g g e s t t h a t i t w a s h is te x t t h a t S z to lc m a n k n e w : “B iso n , w h ic h I o b s e rv e d , liv e d for t h i r t y y e a r s in th e m e n a g e rie o f S c h o n b r u n n n e a r V ie n n a in A u s tr ia . H e w a s b r o u g h t to V ie n n a fro m T r a n s y lv a n ia . D u r in g a fire w h ic h b ro k e o u t in th e p la c e w h e r e i t w a s k e p t, th e b is o n s u rv iv e d t h a n k s to its g r e a t s tr e n g th . H e to re o p e n th e iro n c h a in s , b ro k e d o w n th e d o o r o f h is s ta ll a n d c r a s h e d a ll th e o b s ta c le s to e s c a p e th e fla m e s. T h e g r e a t s t r e n g t h o f th e b is o n w o u ld m a k e it a v e r y u s e f u l d o m e s tic a te d a n im a l. H o w ev er, a ll a t t e m p t s m a d e in S c h o n b r u n n fa ile d to m a k e h im m o re ta m e o r m o re c a p a b le fo r tr a in in g .
4 Serres de M. 1815. Notice sur les jardins botaniques de Vienne et sur les serres de
7 0 Piotr Daszkiewicz, Tomasz Samojlik W h e n I s a w t h i s in d iv id u a l, i t w a s n o t a s w ild , w e a k e n e d b y th e a g e. T ree b r a n c h e s t h a t t h e b is o n e n jo y e d a n d w a s fe d by, w o re its t e e t h to a p o in t w h e r e i t w a s u n a b le to c h e w th e food a n d d ig e s te d w ith g r e a t p ro b le m s . In t h i s s t a t e , i t s life c o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n lo n g , a n d so o n a f te r w a r d s th e b is o n d ie d o f e x h a u s tio n ”. In te r e s tin g ly , a lth o u g h in t h e f i r s t p a r t o f th e te x t d e S e r r e s s t a t e s t h a t E u o p r e a n b is o n o c c u rs o n ly in L i t h u a n i a [i.e. B ia ło w ie ż a F o re s t], in th e fin a l p a r t o f th e s a m e t e x t h e n o te s : “th e E u r o p e a n b is o n is a lm o s t c o m p le te ly e x tin c t. S c a tte r e d in d iv id u a ls a re fo u n d in th e v a s t fo r e s ts o f L i t h u a n i a a n d T r a n s y lv a n ia . I t is a r g u e d t h a t th e y m a y a lso p e r s i s t in c e r ta in p a r t s o f th e C a r p a t h i a n s ”.
D e S e r r e s in c lu d e d a b r ie f m e n tio n o f th e b is o n fro m th e V ie n n a zoo in th e Voyage e n A u tr ic h e , th o u g h w ith o u t a n y n e w in fo r m a tio n . H o w ev er, a n in f o r m a tio n h e p u b lis h e d m a n y y e a r s l a t e r i n 1845 in th e w o rk o n th e c a u s e s o f m ig r a tio n o f a n im a ls is p u z z lin g : “T h e l a s t b is o n w a s k ille d in P r u s s i a in 1755. I n th e tim e s o f F o r s te r t h e so n [G eo rg e F o r s t e r (1 7 5 4 -1 7 9 4 ), n a t u r a l i s t fro m G d a ń s k , m e m b e r o f c a p ta in C ook’s e x p e d itio n , n a t u r a l h is to r y p ro fe s s o r a t th e C e n tr a l S chool in V iln iu s in 1 7 8 4 -1 7 8 7 ] t h i s a n im a l liv e d i n P o la n d o n ly in th e g r e a t B ia ło w ie ż a F o r e s t, w h ic h , t h a n k s to th e a u t h o r i t i e s ’ c a re , s till h a d so m e in d iv id u a ls . I n S c h o n b r u n n n e a r V ie n n a in A u s tr ia (in 1809), I s a w
an European bison ca p tu red few years e a rlie r in B iałow ieża
Forest
” [e m p h a s is b y a u th o r s ] 5.T h e b is o n fro m th e V ie n n a zoo o w es i ts fa m e m a in ly to th e fa c t t h a t i t fell in to th e h a n d s o f G e o rg e s C u v ie r (1 7 3 9 -1 8 6 2 ), c r e a to r o f th e c o m p a r a tiv e a n a to m y a n d o n e o f th e g r e a t e s t z o o lo g ists o f th e 1 9 th c e n tu ry . H e p o s te d its a n a to m ic a l d e s c rip tio n in th e R e c h e rc h e s s u r les O sse m e n s F o ssile s [S tu d ie s o f fo ssiliz e d b o n e s], on e o f th e m o s t im p o r t a n t zoological w o rk s o f th e 1 9 th c e n tu ry . I n h is d e s c rip tio n , th e F r e n c h n a t u r a l i s t n o te d t h a t th e b is o n liv e d in th e m e n a g e rie a t S c h o n b ru n n , a n d n o w h is r e m a in s a re k e p t in th e N a t u r a l H is to r y M u s e u m in P a r is . T h a n k s to th e s k e le to n fro m V ie n n a , C u v ie r co u ld c o m p a re E u r o p e a n b iso n w ith th e A m e ric a n b iso n - a sp e c im e n o f th e l a t t e r sp e c ie s w a s s e n t to C u v ie r fro m th e U n ite d S ta te s b y P o rtu g u e s e d ip lo m a t a n d o u ts ta n d in g n a t u r a l i s t J o s é C o r r e ia d a S e r r a ( 1 7 5 0 -1 8 2 3 )6. C u v ie r’s d e s c rip tio n w a s r e p e a te d ly q u o te d b y th e 1 9 th - c e n tu r y n a t u r e d ic tio n a r ie s . T h e ir a u t h o r s u s u a lly a d d e d o n e m o re in t e r e s t i n g in fo rm a tio n . W ith o u t a n y e v id e n c e th e y s u p p o s e d t h a t i t w a s th e s a m e E u r o p e a n b iso n t h a t w a s d e s c rib e d b y a B r itis h p h y s ic ia n a n d tr a v e l e r R o b e rt T o w n so n in h is
T ra v e ls in H u n g a r y w ith a s h o r t a c c o u n t o f V ie n n a in th e y e a r 1793, th e book
t r a n s l a t e d in to F r e n c h in 1799:
5 Serres de M. 1842. Des causes des migrations des animaux: et particulièrement des
oiseaux et des poissons, Paris: 560.
6 Cuvier G. 1823. Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles où l’on retablit les caractères de
“A n o th e r fo rm o f e n t e r t a i n m e n t is e x e rc is e d h e r e [in V ie n n a ], n o t too c iv iliz e d c u s to m t h a t w e do n o t k n o w o n o u r is la n d a n d t h a t no c iv iliz e d n a tio n s h o u ld to le r a te . G e r m a n s c a ll i t H e tz e a n d i t is a n a n im a l f ig h t (...). I w e n t to se e th e w ild b u ll B o s U ru s fig h t. I t e n te r e d th e a r e n a c a lm a n d w ith d ig n ity . E ig h t o r t e n d o g s w e re s e t loose o n it, b u t i t d id n o t e v e n m ove. T h e b is o n lo w e re d i ts c h in to th e g r o u n d a n d e a s ily fo rc e d b a c k th e a tta c k e r s w ith i t s s h o r t h o r n s , k illin g th e o n e s c h a r g in g fro m b e h in d w ith o n e k ic k o f a h in d le g . I w a tc h e d w ith g r e a t r e g r e t h o w do g s to r m e n te d th e a n im a l. I t w a s m a je s tic , b u t n o t te r r ib le .
I t was caught in P oland at a ve ry young
age
[ e m p h a s is b y a u th o r s ] a n d to d a y i t is c o m p le te ly ta m e . A lso o th e r a n i m a ls w e re le d in to th e a r e n a b u t a ll se e m e d m o re in t e r e s t e d in r e t u r n i n g to t h e i r d e n s t h a n f ig h tin g ”7 .M o st p ro b a b ly M is k a w a s a lso s e e n b y J e a n - B a p tis te B o ry d e S a in t- V in c e n t (1 7 7 8 -1 8 4 6 ), o n e o f th e g r e a t e s t F r e n c h n a t u r a l i s t s o f th e 1 9 th c e n tu ry , a n d a t th e s a m e tim e a h ig h - r a n k in g o fficer i n N a p o le o n ’s arm y . I n a l e t t e r to h is f r ie n d , p h y s ic ia n a n d n a t u r a l i s t L e o n D u fo u r, s e n t o n 15 F e b r u a r y 1807 fro m W a rsa w , h e w ro te : “I h a v e n o t s e e n th e v e g e ta tio n o f th e s e p la in s d u e to th e s n o w cover. O n ly th e p in e fo r e s ts (P in u s r u b r a ) a re r is in g in th e s e e m p ty sp aces. H u g e h e r d s o f U ru s [in L a tin in th e F r e n c h o rig in a l] a n d e lk a r e p re s e n t. W e h a v e a lr e a d y s e e n th e l a t t e r : o n e o f m y d r a goo n s e v e n k ille d one. I h a v e n o t se e n a n y o f th e seco n d sp ecies. I w is h I could c o m p a re th o s e fre e -liv in g w ith th e b e a u tif u l o ne t h a t I s a w in V ie n n a ”8.
T h ird R e ic h o n th e tr a il o f th e S c h o n b r u n n b is o n
I n 1945, a s tu d y o n th e o ld e s t E u r o p e a n b is o n s p e c im e n s in M N H N co lle c tio n w a s p u b lis h e d b y J a c q u e s M illo t (1 8 9 7 -1 9 8 0 ), zo o lo g ist a n d s p e c ia li s t in th e fie ld o f c o m p a ra tiv e a n a to m y 9. T h e s e a r c h fo r th e b is o n fro m V ie n n a le d to a v e ry s u r p r is in g r e s u l t - a lth o u g h t h e s p e c im e n w a s d e s c rib e d b y C u v ie r, th e r e w a s n o tr a c e o f M is k a b o th in th e o ste o lo g ic a l co lle c tio n a n d in la b o r a to r y re c o rd s. M illo t w ro te t h a t t h i s la c k o f in f o r m a tio n w a s e v e n m o re p e r p le x in g d u e to th e fa c t t h a t i t w a s a s p e c im e n o f p a r t i c u l a r im p o r ta n c e fo r t h e h is to r y o f zoology, r e p e a te d ly c ite d in th e l i t e r a t u r e a n d t h e r e fo re b e in g th e s u b je c t o f f r e q u e n t r e q u e s ts fro m s c ie n tis ts fro m d iffe re n t c o u n trie s . A n d n o t j u s t s c ie n tis ts - M illo t m e n tio n e d t h a t d u r in g th e G e r m a n o c c u p a tio n in W o rld W a r II, th e m u s e u m w a s s e v e r a l tim e s v is ite d b y th e T h ir d R e ic h o ffic ials to “d e m a n d th e r e t u r n o f G e r m a n p r o p e r ty ”. T h e y a lso7 Townson R. 1803. Voyage en Hongrie précédé d’une description de la ville de Vienne et des
Jardins Impériaux de Schoenbrun, Paris: 21-24.
8 Lauzun P. 1908-1912. Correspondance de Bory de St Vincent & supplément, Agen: 110. 9 Millot J. 1945. Les Bisons europeens des collections du Museum d’Histoire Naturelle. “Mammalia” 9: 1-1
7 2 Piotr Daszkiewicz, Tomasz Samojlik
c o n d u c te d a n o fficial in v e s tig a tio n o n th e fa te o f th e S c h o n b r u n n b iso n . In o c c u p ie d F r a n c e , G e rm a n y b e h a v e d q u ite d if f e re n tly t h a n in P o la n d . B r u ta l r e p r e s s io n a g a i n s t th e r e s is ta n c e m o v e m e n t w a s a c c o m p a n ie d b y a p o litic a l g a m e w ith th e c o lla b o r a tio n is t “F r e n c h ” a u th o r itie s . M a s s lo o tin g o f w o rk s o f a r t a n d e x p e n s iv e w in e s w a s a c c o m p a n ie d b y p r o c la im e d “r e s p e c t” fo r F r e n c h sc ie n tific in s titu tio n s . N a z is w e re in t e r e s t e d in E u r o p e a n b is o n for s e v e r a l r e a s o n s . F ir s tly - th e s p e c ie s w a s u s e d a s a sy m b o l in N a z i p r o p a g a n d a . S e c o n d ly - a t t h a t tim e t h e y c o n d u c te d m e n d a c io u s e x p e r im e n ts on th e “a u r o c h s r e s t i t u t i o n ”, in w h ic h H e c k b r o th e r s a n d G o e rin g w a n te d to r e i n s t a t e th e a n c ie n t G e r m a n ic s p e c ie s o f a u ro c h s , a close r e la tiv e o f b iso n , b y c ro ss b r e a d in g s e v e r a l b r e e d s o f c a ttle . T h ird ly , th e p r e te x t fo r e x p lo ra tio n o f M is k a c a s e w a s th e fa c t o f a n A u s t r i a n (i.e. T h ir d R eich ) o r ig in o f th e sp e c im e n (e s p e c ia lly i m p o r t a n t a s a s ig n if ic a n t p a r t o f t h e G e s ta p o in F r a n c e c a m e fro m A u s tr ia ) . I n a s i m i l a r w ay, “G e r m a n s p e c ia lis ts ” d e m a n d e d a F r a n c J o s e p h G a ll’s (1 7 5 7 -1 8 2 8 , th e c r e a to r o f p h re n o lo g y , a th e o r y a c co r d in g to w h ic h th e m o rp h o lo g ic a l f e a tu r e s o f th e s k u ll a llo w e d fo r th e id e n tif i c a tio n o f p sy c h o lo g ic a l a n d r a c ia l t r a i t s ) c o lle c tio n o f s k u lls . A s a sid e n o te , i t s h o u ld b e m e n tio n e d t h a t th e m u s e u m w a s o n e o f th e f i r s t c e n te r s o f th e F r e n c h r e s is ta n c e . I n 1942, G e r m a n s e x p o se d th e m u s e u m ’s r e s is ta n c e g rid w h ic h r e s u lte d in e x e c u tio n o f s e v e r a l e m p lo y e e s o f th e in s titu tio n . E a c h v is it o f o fficials “d e m a n d in g th e r e m a in s o f G e r m a n b is o n ” m o s t p ro b a b ly c a u s e d p a n ic in th e m u s e u m . D e s p ite th e c o m m itm e n t o f th e w h o le m a c h in e r y o f N a z i te r r o r , t h e s e a r c h fo r “G e rm a n ic b is o n fro m V ie n n a ” d id n o t y ie ld a n y r e s u lts .
T r a n sy lv a n ia o r B ia ło w ie ż a F o rest?
M illo t re c o rd e d y e t a n o th e r p u z z lin g c a se . A m o n g th e a s s e m b le d s p e c i m e n s o f E u r o p e a n b is o n in m u s e u m th e r e is o n e lis te d in th e in v e n to r y a s “fe m a le fro m L ith u a n ia . E m p e r o r N a p o le o n ”. B e c a u s e th e fe m a le is in fa c t a m a le , M illo t a s k e d i f t h a t w a s n o t th e fa m o u s M is k a tr a n s p o r t e d fro m V ie n n a b y t h e o r d e r o f N a p o le o n ? I n o r d e r to c o n firm th is , h e c a re fu lly m e a s u r e d th e s k e le to n a n d c o m p a re d t h e r e s u l t s w ith t h e d a t a p u b lis h e d b y C u v ie r c o n c lu d in g e v e n tu a lly t h a t t h i s is n o t th e s a m e s p e c im e n . H o w ev er, th e in f o r m a tio n its e lf is in te r e s tin g , b e c a u s e in t h a t c a s e th e b is o n h a d to b e s e n t to th e m u s e u m fro m B ia ło w ie ż a F o r e s t. T h e o c c a sio n fo r t h a t c o u ld be a s ta y o f N a p o le o n ’s a r m y n e a r th e F o r e s t d u r in g th e 1812 c a m p a ig n .
A n d w h a t a b o u t M is k a ? D u r in g o u r r e s e a r c h in th e a rc h iv e s o f th e M N H N a n d th e F r e n c h N a tio n a l A rc h iv e s , a lth o u g h n u m e r o u s d o c u m e n ts on th e s h ip m e n t o f n a t u r a l c o lle c tio n s fro m V ie n n a s u rv iv e d ( in c lu d in g a l i s t of 4 8 liv e p l a n t s s h ip p e d fro m A u s t r i a o r in f o r m a tio n o n 9 b o x e s o f s p e c im e n s s e n t b y M a rc e l d e S e rre s ) , th e r e w a s no in f o r m a tio n a b o u t th e f a te o f V ie n n a b iso n . T h e r e is a lso n o b is o n o n lis ts of s p e c im e n s r e t u r n e d b y F r a n c e to
A u s tr ia a f te r th e C o n g re s s o f V ie n n a . T h e co m m o n p r a c tic e w a s , h o w ev er, to n e g o tia te s e n d in g o th e r sp e c im e n s , in t e r e s t i n g fo r t h e m u s e u m in q u e s tio n , in s te a d o f s to le n s p e c im e n s . I t is th e r e f o r e p ro b a b le t h a t M is k a r e m a in e d in P a r is , j u s t lik e th e M o s a s a u r u s p lu n d e r e d in th e N e th e r la n d s .
T h e h is to r y o f o n e o f th e m o s t f a m o u s zoological s p e c im e n s is, th e re f o re , s till c o v e re d b y t h e s h r o u d o f m y s te ry . T h e lo c a tio n o f M is k a ’s r e m a in s is s till u n k n o w n . I n t h e r e s p e c t o f c o n flic tin g in f o r m a tio n p ro v id e d in th e p u b lic a tio n s o f M a rc e l d e S e r r e s a n d o th e r h is to r ic a l s o u rc e s, i t a lso s e e m s r e a s o n a b le to q u e s tio n w h e th e r th e V ie n n a b is o n w a s in d e e d th e l a s t s p e c im e n o f a s p e c ie s o r ig in a tin g fro m T r a n s y lv a n ia ? M a n y c lu e s d ir e c t to a co n c lu sio n t h a t M is k a c a m e in fa c t fro m B ia ło w ie ż a F o r e s t. S e a r c h c o n d u c te d b y th e a u th o r s s h o w s a lso h o w im p o r t a n t fo r m o d e r n b io lo g ic a l sc ie n c e s, y e t o fte n u n d e r e s tim a te d b y th e r e p r e s e n ta tiv e s o f th e n a t u r a l sc ie n c e s, is th e a n a ly sis o f h is to r ic a l so u rc e s.
