212 PLINY'S NATTJEAL HISTOEY. [Book XIII. 



dries and turns to salt. They have spoken also of bulrushes 58 

 of stone bearing a strong resemblance to real ones, which grew 

 along the sea- shore, as also certain shrubs 59 in the main _ sea, 

 the colour of an ox's horn, branching out in various direc- 

 tions, and red at the tips. These, they say, were brittle, and 

 broke like glass when touched, while, on the other hand, in 

 the fire they would become red-hot like iron, and when cool 

 resume their original colour. 



In the same part of the earth also, the tide covers the 

 forests that grow on the islands, although the trees there are 

 more lofty 60 than the very tallest of our planes and poplars ! 

 The leaves of these trees resemble that of the laurel, while the 

 blossom is similar to the violet, both in smell and colour : the 

 berries resemble those of the olive, and they, too, have an 

 agreeable smell : they appear in the autumn, and the leaves 

 of the trees never fall off. The smaller ones are entirely 

 covered by the waves, while the summits of those of larger 

 size protrude from the water, and ships are made fast to them ; 

 when the tide falls the vessels are similarly moored to the roots. 

 We find the same persons making mention of certain other 

 trees which they saw out at sea, which always retained their 

 leaves, and bore a fruit very similar to the lupine. 



CHAP. 52. THE PLANTS OF THE TEOGLODYTIC SEA J THE HAIE OF 



ISIS : THE CHAEITO-BLEPHAEON. 



Juba relates, that about the islands of the^ Troglodytae 

 there is a certain shrub found out at sea, which is known as 

 the " hair of Isis :" 61 he says that it bears a strong resem- 

 blance to coral, is destitute of leaves, and if cut will change 

 its colour, becoming quite black and hard, and so brittle as to 

 break if it falls. He speaks also of another marine plant, to 

 which he gives the name of " Charito-blepharon," 62 and which, 



58 Fee hazards a conjecture that this may be the Gorgonia scirpea of 

 Pallas, found in the Indian Seas. 



59 One of the Gorgonise, Fee thinks ; but its characteristics are not suf- 

 ficiently stated to enable us to identify it. 



60 A fable worthy of Sinbad the Sailor ! 



61 " Isidis crinem." Fee says that this is evidently black coral, the Gor- 

 gonia antipathes of Linnaeus. 



62 « The eyelid of the Graces." Fee is almost tempted to think that he 

 means red coral. 



