Cinnamolgus, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The medieval bestiary records that the legendary cinnamolgus is an Arabian bird that builds its nest from the fruit of the cinnamon tree.

The medieval bestiary records that the cinnamolgus is a bird that lives in Arabia and builds its nest from the fruit of the cinnamon tree, which is valuable and highly prized. Men cannot climb the trees to reach it, because the branches are too delicate and break easily, and so they shoot lead weighted arrows, or throw lead balls into the trees to bring the cinnamon down. The Cinnamolgus is most commonly illustrated as a bird in a nest at the top of a tree, with a man below, shooting an arrow or throwing a lead ball from a sling.

Transcription

Translation

Cinnamolgus et ipsa est avis arabie. Ita vo-
cata; quod in excelsis nemoribus texit nidos;
ex fructibus cinnami. Et quoniam non possunt homines
ibi conscendere. propter ramorum altitudinem et fra-
gilitatem; eosdem nidos plumbatis appetunt iaculis.
Et sic cinnama illa deponunt. pretiisque amplioribus
vendunt. eo quod hec cinnama magis quam alia mercato-
res probent.

Cinnamolgus is also a bird of Arabia. So called; that he covered his nests in the high woods; from the fruits of cinnamon. And since men cannot climb there, on account of the height and fragility of the branches; the same plumbed nests are sought after by the target. And so they lay down those cinnamons, and sell them at higher prices, because the merchants prefer this cinnamon more than others.