Aristotle's History of Animals. 69 



and he is ignorant of the distribution and uses of the nerves. 

 Herophilus was the first who had any correct ideas on this sub- 

 ject. Aristotle speaks of the veins, of which the principal trunks 

 have their origin in the heart. He distinguishes correctly be- 

 tween the venae cavas and the pulmonary vein, and describes 

 die aorta from its origin to its division at the lower part of the 

 trunk. He did not know that the arteries contain blood, and 

 seems to think that the air penetrates into the heart, which he 

 describes as only presenting three cavities. He treats of the 

 stomach, omentum, liver, spleen, bladder, kidneys, and the 

 parts connected with them, and says that the right kidney is 

 placed higher than the left. All the descriptions, although in- 

 complete, and even false in several points, prove, at least, that 

 he had seen the viscera of which he speaks. 



He then treats more particularly of animals, and first speaks 

 of their limbs. Describing those of the elephant, he remarks 

 how difficult the length of the fore-legs and the disposition of 

 their joints render in that animal the actions of drinking and 

 laying hold of its food on the ground. He shews that the pro- 

 boscis makes up for this disadvantage, and forms a convenient 

 organ of prehension. He also knew that the proboscis is a true 

 nasal organ. In continuing, he gives very interesting details 

 respecting the mode of reproduction of that quadruped, the 

 difference of the sexes, &c. Buffbn has contradicted him in 

 several instances, but almost always Erroneously, as has been 

 shewn by observations recently made in India. 



Aristotle then considers animals with reference to the distri- 

 bution of their hair. Of those which are furnished with a mane 

 he mentions the bonassus, which is the aurochs., and then three 

 Indian animals, the hippelaphrcs, the Mppardium, and the hiif- 

 fah. The hippelaphus, or deer-horse, has lately been observed 

 by MM. Diard and Duvaucel ; the hippardium (the hunting 

 tiger) has only been known within these few years. It existed 

 in the Royal Menagerie, but Bufibn did not see it. As to the 

 buffalo, it is well known that it was introduced into Europe at 

 the time of the crusades. Aristotle describes it so as that he 

 cannot be misunderstood. He speaks of its colour, and of the 

 direction of its horns, and says that it differs as much from the 

 domestic bull as the wild boar diflVrs from the hog. In speak- 



