46 plint's natural history. [Book XI. 



four in number upon one head. In females the horns are gene- 

 rally thinner than in the males, as is the case, also, with most 

 kinds of wool-bearing animals. 



No individuals, however, among sheep, or hinds, nor yet 

 any that have the feet divided into toes, or that have solid 

 hoofs, are furnished with horns ; with the sole exception of 

 the Indian ass, 76 which is armed with a single horn. To the 

 beasts that are cloven-footed Nature has granted two horns, 

 but to those that have fore-teeth in the upper jaw, she has 

 given none. Those persons who entertain the notion that the 

 substance of these teeth is expended in the formation of the 

 horns, are easily to be refuted, if we only consider the case of 

 the hind, which has no more teeth than the male, and yet 

 is without horns altogether. In the stag the horn is only 

 imbedded in the skin, but in the other 77 animals it adheres to 

 the bone. 



CHAP. 46. THE HEADS OF ANIMALS. * THOSE WHICH HAVE NOXF. 



The head of the fish is very large in proportion to the rest 

 of the body, probably, to facilitate its diving under water. 

 Animals of the oyster and the sponge kind have no head, 

 which is the case, also, with most of the other kinds, whose 

 only sense is that of touch. Some, again, have the head 

 blended with the body, the crab, for instance. 



CHAP. 47. THE HAIR. 



Of all animals man has the longest hair upon the head ; which 

 is the case more especially with those nations where the men and 

 women in common leave the hair to grow, and do not cut it. 

 Indeed, it is from this fact, that the inhabitants of the Alps 

 have obtained from us the name of " Capillati," 78 as also those 

 of Gallia, " Comata." 79 There is, however, a great difference 

 in this respect according to the various countries. In the 

 island, of Myconus, 80 the people are born without hair, just 

 as at Caunus the inhabitants are afflicted with the spleen 



76 The rhinoceros. See B. viii. c. 39. 



77 He surely must except the Phrygian oxen with the moveable horns, 

 which he has previously mentioned. 



™ Or "long-haired." See B. iii. c. 7. 



" See B. iv. c. 31. 80 See B. iv. c. 22. 



