ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IV. in. 5 -iv. i 



abundant, and that there are various other peculiar 

 plants there, and that there are found the hare l 

 gazelle ostrich and other animals. However it is 

 uncertain whether these do not migrate in order to 

 find drink somewhere, (for by reason of their fleet- 

 ness they are able to appear at a distant place in a 

 short space of time), especially if they can go for 

 several days without drinking, even as these animals, 

 when domesticated, are only given drink every third 

 or fourth day. While as to other animals, such as 

 snakes lizards and the like, it is plain that they go 

 without drink. And we are told that according to 

 the Libyans, these animals eat the wood-louse, which 

 is of the same kind that is found also in our 

 country, being black, with many feet, and rolling 

 itself into a ball ; this, they say, is extremely common 

 and is juicy by nature. 



They say also that dew always falls abundantly 

 in the land in which no rain falls, so that it is plain 

 that the date-palm, as well as anything else which 

 grows in waterless places, is kept alive by the 

 moisture which rises from the ground, and also by 

 the dew. For the latter is sufficient, considering 2 the 

 size of such trees and their natural character, which 

 is dry and formed of dry components. And trees of 

 that character are most abundant in, and most 

 specially belong to such country. The character 

 of the silphium we must discuss later. 



Of the trees and herbs special to Asia. 



IV. In different parts of Asia also there are 

 special trees, for the soil of the various regions 

 produces some but not others. 3 Thus they say that 



1 Plin. 16. 144. 



39 



