418 PLINY'S NATUBAL HISTORY. [Book XXIX. 



rain, as some think. The thick pulp of a spider's, body, mixed 

 with oil of roses, is also used for the ears; or else the pulp applied 

 by itself with saffron or in wool : a cricket, too, is dug up with 

 some of its earth, and applied. Nigidius attributes great 17 

 virtues to this insect, and the magicians still greater, and all 

 because it walks backwards, pierces the earth, and chirrups by 

 night ! The mode of catching it is by throwing an ant, 18 made 

 fast with a hair, into its hole, the dust being first blown away 

 to prevent it from concealing itself: the moment it seizes the 

 ant, it is drawn out. 



The dried craw of poultry, a part that is generally thrown 

 away, is beaten up in wine, and injected warm, for suppura- 

 tions of the ears ; the same, too, with the grease of poultry. 



On pulling off the head of a black beetle, 19 it yields a sort 

 of greasy substance, which, beaten up with rose oil, is marvel- 

 lously good, they say, for affections of the ears : care must be 

 taken, however, to remove the wool very soon, or else this sub- 

 stance will be speedily transformed into an animal, in the 

 shape of a small grub. Some writers assert that two or three 

 of these insects, boiled in oil, are extremely efficacious for the 

 ears ; and that they are good, beaten up and applied in linen, 

 for contusions of those organs. 



This insect, also, is one of those that are of a disgusting 

 character ; but I am obliged, by the admiration which I feel for 

 the operations of Nature, and for the careful researches, of the 

 ancients, to enter somewhat more at large upon it on the pre- 

 sent occasion. Their writers have described several varieties 

 of it; the soft beetle, for instance, which, boiled in oil, has 

 been found by experience to be a very useful liniment for 

 warts. Another kind, to which they have given the name of 

 "mylo3con," 20 is generally found in the vicinity of mills: de- 

 prived of the head, it has been found to be curative of leprosy 

 at least Musa 21 and Picton 22 have cited instances to that effect. 



17 In the middle ages there were . many superstitions with reference to 

 this insect, some of which have survived to the present day. 



1<8 Ajasson seems to think that this passage means that the ant Use 1 / 

 adopts this plan of catching the cricket. If so, he is certainly in error, 

 and his attack upon Pliny's credulity is, in this instance at least, misplaced. 



19 See B. xi. c. 34, and B. xxv. c. 60. 



20 " Inhabiting mills." 



21 See B. xix. c. 38, and B. xxv. c. 38. 



22 Of this writer nothing is known. 



