68 PLINY'S NATUKAL HISTORY. [Book XXIV. 



beetle is continually ascending the interior of the stalk, and 

 as often descending, while it emits a sound like the cry of a 

 kid ; a circumstance to which the plant is indebted for its name. 

 There is nothing in existence, they say, more beneficial to the 

 voice, 



CHAP. 104. THE WOOL PLANT I ONE KEMEDY. THE LACTOKIS : 



ONE REMEDY. THE MILITARIST ONE REMEDY. 



The wool plant, 17 given to sheep fasting, greatly increases the 

 milk. The plant commonly called lactoris, 18 is equally well 

 known : it is full of a milky juice, the taste of which produces 

 vomiting. Some persons say that this is identical with, while 

 others say that it only resembles, the plant known as "mili- 

 taris," 19 from the fact that, applied with oil, it will effect the 

 cure, within five days, of any wound that has been inflicted 

 with iron. 



CHAP. 105. THE STRATIOTES: FIVE REMEDIES. 



The Greeks speak in high terms also of the stratiotes, 20 

 though that is a plant which grows in Egypt only, and during 

 the inundations of the river Nilus. It is similar in appearance 

 to the aizoon, 21 except that the leaves are larger. It is of a 

 remarkably cooling nature, and, applied with vinegar, it heals 

 wounds, as well as erysipelas and suppurations.. Taken in 

 drink with male frankincense, it is marvellously useful for 

 discharges of blood 'from the kidneys. 



CHAP. 106. (19.) A PLANT GROWING ON THE HEAD OP A 



STATUE: ONE REMEDY. 



It is asserted also, that a plant growing 22 on the head of a 



17 "Herba lanaria." See B. xix. c. 18. 



18 Hardouin identifies it with the Ulva lactuca of Linneeus; but that 

 plant, Fee says, contains no milky j nice, and does not act as an emetk*. 

 One of the Euphorbiaceae is probably meant. 



19 " Military " plant. Hardouin identifies it with the Achillea mille- 

 folium of Linnaeus, mentioned in c. 95 of this Book. Fee, however, docs 

 not recognize the identity. 



20 " Soldier " plant. Csesalpinus identifies it with the Salvinia natans ; 

 but Fee thinks, with Sprengel, that it is the Pistia stratiotes of Linnaeus, 

 great duckweed or pondweed. 



21 " Always living." See B. xix. c, 58. 



22 It is pretty clear that in relating this, absurdity he is not speaking ot 

 one plant solely, but of any plant which may chance to grow on the head 



