92 pliny's natural histoey. [Book XI. 



that supply the principal remedies for calculus in the human 

 bladder. It is said also that the genitals of the bear are 

 turned into a horny substance the moment it dies. Among 

 the peoples of the East the very best bow-strings are those 

 which are made of the member of the camel. These parts also, 

 among different nations, are made the object of certain usages 50 

 and religious observances ; and the Galli, 51 the priests of the 

 Mother of the gods, are in the habit of castrating themselves, 

 without any dangerous results. On the other hand, there is 

 in some few women a monstrous resemblance to the male con- 

 formation, while hermaphrodites appear to partake of the 

 nature of both. Instances of this last conformation^ were 

 seen in quadrupeds in Nero's reign, and for the first time, I 

 imagine ; for he ostentatiously paraded hermaphrodite horses 

 yoked to his car, which had been found in the territory of 

 the Treviri, in Gaul ; as if, indeed, it was so remarkably fine a 

 sight to behold the ruler of the earth seated in a chariot drawn 

 by monstrosities ! 



CHAP. 110. THE TESTES — THE THEEE CLASSES OF EUNUCHS. 



In sheep and cattle the testes hang down to the legs, while 

 in the boar they are knit up close to the body. In the dolphin 

 they are very long, and are concealed in the lower part of the 

 belly. In the elephant, also, they are quite concealed. In 

 oviparous animals they adhere to the interior of the loins : 

 these animals are the most speedy in the venereal congress. 

 Pishes and serpents have no testes, but in place of them they 

 have two veins, which run from the renal region to the genitals. 

 The bird known as the " buteo," 51 has three testes. Man is 

 the only creature in which the testes are ever broken, either 

 accidentally or by some natural malady ; those who are thus 

 afflicted form a third class of half men, in addition to her- 

 maphrodites and eunuchs. In all species of animals the male 

 is more courageous than the female, with the exception of the 

 panther and the bear. 



CHAP. 111. (50.) THE TAILS OF ANIMALS. 



Nearly all the animals, both viviparous as well as oviparous, 



50 Such as circumcision among the Jews. 



51 See B. xxxv. c. 46. 



51 Probably the buzzard ; from this story also called the " triorchis." 



