B. Till.] THE HISTORY OF ANIMALS. 211 



the parrot, which is said to have a tongue like a man. It 

 becomes the most loquacious when intoxicated. The crow, the 

 swan, the pelican, and the small goose, are gregarious birds. 



CHAPTER XV. 



1. IT has already been observed that fish migrate from the 

 deep water to the coast, and from the coast to the deep 

 water, in order to avoid the excesses of cold and heat. Those 

 that frequent the neighbourhood of the coast are better than 

 those from deep water, for the feeding grounds are better 

 and more abundant. For wherever the sun strikes the plants 

 are more frequent, and superior, and more delicate, as in gar 

 dens, and the black shore-weed grows near the land, and the 

 other kinds rather resemble uncultivated plants. The neigh 

 bourhood of the coast is also more temperate, both in heat and 

 cold, than the rest of the sea ; for which reason the flesh of 

 fish which live near the shore is more compact, while that of 

 fish from deep sea is watery and soft. The sinodou, cantha- 

 rus, orphos, chrysophrys, cestreus, trigla, cichla, dracon, calli- 

 onymus, cobius, and all the rock fish live near the shore. The 

 trygon, selache, the white congers, the channa, erythrinus, 

 and glaucus inhabit deep water. The phagrus, scorpius, the 

 black conger, the muraua, and coccyx occupy either situa 

 tion indifferently. 



2. They vary also in different places ; as in the neighbour 

 hood of Crete the cobius and all the rock fish are fat. The 

 tunny also becomes god again after A returns, for it is not 

 tormented by the oastrus after that period ; for which reason 

 also it is inferior during the summer. In lakes near the sea 

 also there are several kinds offish, as the salpa, chrysophrys, 

 trigla, and nearlv all the rest. The ami a also is found in 

 such situations as in the vicinity of Alopeconnesus, and ii. 

 the lake of Bistonis there are many fish. Many of the colur 

 do not enter the Pontus ; but tlu-v [KISS the summer and 

 rear their young in the Propontis, and winter in the^E^ean. 

 The thvnnus, pelamis, and amia enter the Pont us in the 

 spring and pass the summer there, and so do nearly all the 

 rhyades and the gregarious fish. jVIany fish are gregarious, 

 and gregarious fish have a leader of the shoal. 



3. They all enter the Pontus for the sake of the food 

 (for the pasture is more abundant aud superior, on account 



p 2 



