prevalent Disorders, Sfc, mth Volcanic Emanations. 195 



had extensive acquaintance with the natural phenomena of 

 his times {end of third century), has made distinct mention of 

 mice as agents of destruction, and in connection with ter- 

 restrial convulsions and calamities. Amongst a long cata- 

 logue of hailstorms, drought, scarcity, famine, pestilence, 

 aerolites, and earthquakes *, are these words : — " Annalium 

 scripta percurrite linguarum diversitatibus scripta, universal 

 discetis gentes ssepenumero desolatas et viduatas suis esse 

 cultoribus. Ab locustis, ab muribus, genus omne acciditur 

 atque arroditur frugum. Historias ite per vestras, et ab istis 

 pestibus instruemini quoties prior cetas affecta et paupertatis 

 ad miserias venerit."f And, as if these two allusions could 

 not be strong enough, he again introduces mice : " Si in Asia, 

 Syria, idcirco mures et locustas effervescere prodigal iter J," &c. 

 {Disp, contra Gentes, i. § 2. et 5.) 



I desire to make no more use of these quotations than the 

 case in point allows. Pliny speaks of the marvellous increase 

 of mice, and their sudden disappearance, attributing the for- 

 mer to drought ; and Arnobius couples them with the locusts, 

 whose history, and connection with diseases and terrestrial 

 phenomena, are well known. Cuvier (Regne Aiiimal, 1817? 

 tom. i. p. 193.) says also, the Mus arvalis Liti. " quelquefois 

 se multiplie excessivement, et cause de grands degats."§ The 

 " quelquefois " [sometimes] of Cuvier is undefined ; but Ar- 

 nobius has, I think, indirectly explained its limits. 



The history of the world proves that there are certain 

 epochs, when all nature, animate and inanimate, is excited by 

 some extraordinary impulse. The locust is associated by all 

 writers with famine and pestilence, and with heat and eardi- 

 quakes. Locusts accompanied the black death, in 1337-8 



have been found pregnant. It, therefore, ceases to be a wonder, whence 

 such a power of mice should destroy the harvests. Regarding which, it is 

 still a secret how these immense numbers so suddenly disappear ; for they 

 are not found dead, neither is there any person to be met with who, during 

 the winter, has dug up a mouse in the fields. Many have also made their 

 appearance in the Troad, and have now driven the inhabitants thence. 

 Their appearance is attributed to drought." 



* " Pestilentias et siccitates, frugum inopiam, locustas, mures,^* &c. 

 [" Pestilences, droughts, dearth of crops, locusts, mice," &c.] 



f " Glance through the various annals, written in different languages, and 

 you will learn that all countries have frequently been desolated, and aban- 

 doned by their cultivators. By locusts, by mice, every kind of produce is 

 attacked and eaten. Pass through your own histories, and you will be 

 informed how the former age has, by these pests, been affected, and brought 

 to the miseries of poverty." 



:{: " If in Asia, or in Syria, mice and locusts have abounded prodigiously," 

 &c. 



§ " The Mus arvalis L. sometimes multiplies excessively, and makes 

 great havoc." 



o 3 



