472 pliny's natuhal histoey. [Book IX. 



reason it is that eels also can live so long out of water ; *-* and 

 that their eggs come to maturity on dry land, like those of the 

 sea-tortoise". In the same regions also of the Euxine, he 

 says, various kinds of fishes are overtaken by the ice, the gobio 

 more particularly, and they only betray signs of life, by 

 moving when they have warmth applied by the saucepan. 

 All these things, however, though very remarkable, still admit 

 of some explanation. He tells us also, that in Paphlagonia, 

 land fishes are dug up that are most excellent eating ; these, he 

 says, are found in deep holes or spots where there is no standing 

 water whatever, and he expresses his surprise at their being 

 thus produced without any contact with moisture, stating it as 

 his opinion, that there is some innate virtue in these holes, '*^ 

 similar to that of wells ; as if, indeed, fishes really were to be 

 found in wells.*^ However this may be, these facts, at all 

 events, render the life of the mole under ground less a matter 

 for surprise ; unless, perhaps, these fishes mentioned by Theo- 

 phrastus are similar in nature to the earth-worm. 



CHAP. 84. (58.) — THE MICE OF THE NILE. 



But all these things, singular as they are, are rendered 

 credible by a marvel which exceeds them all, at the time of the 

 inundation of the Nile ; for, the moment that it subsides, little 

 mice*® are found, the first rudiments of which have been 



^- * Cuvier remarks, that many fish, the orifice of the gills of which, like 

 those of the eel, is small, or which have in the interior of those parts 

 organs proper for the preservation there of water, are able, like the eel, to 

 live for some time on dry land ; such, for instance, as the periophthalmi 

 previously mentioned, the chironectes, the ophicephali, the anabas, and 

 others ; but it is difficult to say, he observes, of what species were those of 

 the Lycus, which are here mentioned. 



^^ Or turtle. See c. 12 of the present Book. 



** It is most probable that Sillig is right in his supposition, that 

 " quam" should be read " aequam;" otherwise it does not appear that any 

 srnse can be made of the passage. Schneider, in his commentaries upon 

 Theophrastus, Sillig says, quite despaired of either amending or explaining 

 this passage ; which, however, with Sillig's emendation is very easily to be 

 understood. 



** In accordance with the opinion of Vossius and Sillig, we read here 

 " in illis," instead of the common, and most probably incorrect, reading, 

 " in nuUis." 



** Pomponius Mela, B. i. c. 9., and Ovid, Met. B. i. 1. 422, et seq., tell 

 the same story, which, however, has no truth in it whatever. 



