RISE AND FROGRESS OF ZOOLOGY. 2) 
weakness of mind inseparable from credulity, or that 
disinclination to investigate truth, which is the sure 
mark of a secondary order of intellect. It is difficult 
to account for this paucity of original information 
and abundance of fable in the writings of Pliny, 
seeing that he lived in an age when Rome might be 
said to have possessed the most magnificent mena- 
gerie the world ever witnessed. Her barbarous ex- 
hibitions of animal combats, — conducted on a scale 
of savage splendour, which almost shakes our credu- 
lity, assembled within her walls fresh supplies of 
hundreds of living animals, collected from all the 
regions over which her empire extended, and aug- 
mented by the forced or voluntary contributions of 
those allies who sought the protection or friendship of 
the mistress of the world. These menageries were — 
not only filled with lions and other ferocious animals, 
destined for the circus, but contained, in all proba- 
bility, whatsoever was rare or curious among the 
more peaceable tribes; since these creatures fre- 
quently formed a conspicuous feature in triumphal 
processions, and were no doubt taken care of after- 
wards. * The Camelopardalis of northern Africa 
(C. antiquorum, Sw.) was well known to the 
Romans; but that of the southern regions, we may 
presume, was too far removed from their empire. 
Certain it is, however, that of all these advantages 

* Pliny himself is the authority for these facts. He informs 
us that Quintus Curtius first began the custom. Scylla ex- 
hibited the terrific spectacle of a combat of 100 male lions; 
but this savage amusement was far outdone by Pompey, who 
assembled at one time no less than 600 of these beasts. Cesar, 
also, had one of 400. 
