296 PLINY'S NATUBAIA HISTORY. [Book VIII. 



and Theophrastus informs us, that the people of Rhoeteum 28 

 were driven away by scolopendrse. 29 But we must now return 

 to the other kinds of wild beasts. 



CHAP. 44. (30.) THE HYAENA. 



It is the vulgar notion, that the hysena possesses in itself 

 both sexes, being a male during one year, and a female the 

 next, and that it becomes pregnant without the co-operation 

 of the male ; Aristotle, however, denies this. 30 The neck, with 

 the mane, runs continuously into the back-bone, so that the 

 animal cannot bend this part without turning round the whole 

 body. Many other wonderful things are also related of this ani- 

 mal ; and strangest of all, that it imitates the human voice among 

 the stalls of the shepherds ; and while there, learns the name of 

 some one of them, and then calls him away, and devours him. 

 It is said also, that it can imitate a man vomiting, and that, 

 in this way, it attracts the dogs, and then falls iipon them. 

 It is the only animal that digs up graves, in order to obtain 

 the bodies of the dead. The female is rarely caught : its 

 eyes, it is said, are of a thousand various colours and changes 

 of shade. It is said also, that on coming in contact with its 

 shadow, dogs will lose their voice, and that, by certain ma- 

 gical influences, it can render any animal immoveable, round 

 which it has walked three times. 



CHAP. 45. THECOEOCOTTA; THE MANTICHOEA. 31 



By the union of the hyaena with the Ethiopian lioness, the 



and destructive nature of the red ants on the coast of Guinea ; and it is not 

 improbable that it is to these that Pliny alludes. 

 See B. v. c. 33. 



29 This is mentioned by JElian, Anim. Nat. B. xv. c. 26. B. The 

 scolopendra is one of the multipede insects. 



30 Aristotle, De Gener. Anim. B. iii. c. 6, and Hist. Anim. B. vi. c. 32, 



Anim. Nat. B. i. c. 25, and Oppian, Cyneget. B. iii. c. 289, have adopted 

 this erroneous opinion. What is said respecting the hya3na, in the remain- 

 ing part of this Chapter, is mostly without foundation. B. 



11 We have had some account given of the mantichora, in c. 30. The 

 mantichora and the ' corocotta are altogether imaginary. B. Cuvier, in 



