182 THE HISTOBT OF ATT1MAL8 [fi. VII. 



the purification, but not so much as to make its ap 

 pearance externally. Some women in whom the uterus has 

 closed immediately after the purification, conceive even while 

 menstruating, but do not conceive afterwards. The cata- 

 menia sometimes occur even in pregnant women. Such 

 women usually bear imperfect children, and their offspring 

 either do not grow up, or are weakly. 



3. It frequently happens that from the want of sexuai 

 intercourse, or from youth and the period of life, or from 

 long abstinence, the uterus descends, and the catamenia 

 occur several times in the month, until they conceive; after 

 which the parts return to their proper place : and sometimes 

 even in women with a good habit of body, if the humours 

 are abundant, an effusion of the semen takes place if it is 

 too moist. 



4. It has already been observed that this purification is 

 more abundant in women than in any other creature. In 

 animals that are not viviparous no symptoms of anything of 

 the kind occur, for this superfluous matter is returned into 

 their own body, for in many the females are superior to the 

 males in size, and in many it is turned to the formation of 

 plates, or scales, or abundance of feathers. In viviparous ani 

 mals with feet, it is turned to the formation of hair and bulk 

 of body (for man is the only animal that is smooth), or of 

 urine ; for in almost all animals this secretion is thick and 

 abundant. In women, on the contrary, all the superfluous 

 matter of the body is directed to this purification. 



5. The case of the male is the same, for in proportion to 

 his size, man emits more semen than other animals ; (where 

 fore, also, man is the smoothest of all animals,) and among 

 men those which abound in humours, and are not very full 

 fleshed, and fair men more than dark ones. So also among 

 women. For in those that are full fleshed, the greater part 

 of the secretion goes to the supply of the body, and in the 

 act of sexual intercourse, fair women have nattirally more 

 seminal fluid than dark ones. Liquid and acid foods also 

 increase this kind of intercourse. 



CHAPTEB, III. 



1. It is a sign that women have conceived when the puden 

 dum remains dry after coition. If the labia are smo th they 



