Chap. 93.] ANIMALS WHICH LITE UPOJf EARTH. 549 



gradually encircle the egg with its coils, and hold it so tight as 

 to break it at the end, just, in fact, as though a piece had been 

 cut out with a knife ; then holding the remaining part in its 

 folds, it will suck the contents. In the same manner, too, 

 when it has swallowed a bird whole, it will make a violent effort, 

 and vomit the feathers. 



CHIP. 93. AXIilALS WHICH LIVE ON EARTH — ANIIUiALS WHICH 



WILL NOT DIE OF HUNGER OK THIRST. 



Scorpions live on earth. Serpents, when an opportunity- 

 presents itself, show an especial liking for wine, although in 

 other respects they need but very little drink. These animals, 

 also, when kept shut up, require but little aliment, hardly any 

 at all, in fact. The same is the case also with spiders, which at 

 other times live by suction. Hence it is, that no venomous 

 animal will die of hunger or thirst ; it being the fact that they 

 have neither heat, blood, nor sweat ; all which humours, 

 from their natural saltness, increase the animal's voracity. In 

 this class of animals all those are the most deadly, which 

 have eaten some of their own kind just before they inflict the 

 wound. The sphingium and the satyr^* stow away food in the 

 pouches of their cheeks, after which the}' will take it out piece 

 by piece with their hands and eat it ; and thus the}' do for a 

 day or an hour what the ant usually does^^ for the whole year. 



(73.) The only animal with toes upon the feet that feeds 

 upon grass is the hare, which will eat corn as well ; while 

 the solid-hoofed animals, and the swine among the cloven- 

 footed ones, will eat all kinds of food, as well as roots. To 

 roll over and over is a peculiarity of the animals with a solid 

 hoof. All those which have serrated teeth are carnivorous. 

 Bears live also upon corn, leaves, grapes, fruit, bees, crabs even, 

 and ants ; wolves, as we have already ^^ stated, will eat earth 

 even when they are famishing. Cattle grow fat by drinking ; 

 hence it is that salt agrees with them so well ; the same is also 

 the case with beasts of burden, although they live on corn as 

 well as grass ; but they eat just in proportion to what they 

 drink. In addition to those already spoken of, among the 

 wild animals, stags ruminate, when reared in a domesticated 

 state. All animals ruminate lying in preference to standing, 



"^ As to these monkies, see B. xviii. c. 30, and c. 80. 



55 /. e. lay by a store. ^ 13. viii. c. 34. 



