244 THE HISTORY OF ANIMALS. [B. IX. 



to any one. The reason is this, they make their nest in 

 inaccessible rocks, and the bird is not an inhabitant of many 

 countries. It produces one egg or two at the most. 



3. Some birds dwell in mountains and in woods, as the 

 hoopoe and brenthus. This bird has a good habit of life and 

 a good voice. The trochilus dwells in thickets and holes. 

 It is taken with difficulty, for it is swift in flight, and ita 

 disposition is weak ; but its mode of life is good, and it is 

 artful. It is also called presbys and basileus. Wherefore 

 also they say that it fights with the eagle. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



1. THERE are some which live near the sea, as the cinclus. 

 In disposition this bird is cunning and difficult of capture, 

 and when taken easily tamed. It appears to be lame, for 

 its hinder parts are weak. All birds with webbed feet live 

 near the sea, or near rivers and ponds, for their nature 

 teaches them to seek what is advantageous for them. Many 

 of those with divided feet live near waters and marshes, as 

 the anthus in the neighbourhood of rivers. Its colour is 

 beautiful, and its mode of life good. The diver lives near 

 the sea, and when it plunges into the sea it remains 

 as long a time as it would take a man to walk over a pleth- 

 rum of ground. This bird is less than a hawk. 



2. The swan also is web-footed, and lives in ponds and 

 marshes. Its manner of life and disposition is good, and so 

 is its mode of rearing their young and its old age. If an 

 eagle attacks the swan, it defendn itself and comes off victo 

 rious, but will not commence the fight. Swans have the 

 power of song, especially when near the end of their life ; 

 for they then fly out to sea, and some persons, sailing near 

 the coast of Libya, have met many of them in the sea sing 

 ing a mournful song, and have afterwards seen some of 

 them die. 



3. The cymindis is seldom seen, for it inhabits mountains. 

 It is black, and about the size of the hawk called pigeon 

 hawk. Its form is long and slight. (It shines with a 

 metallic lustre, wherefore also it is called chalcis.) The 

 lonians call it cymindis : wherefore Homer writes in the 

 Iliad, &quot; the bird which the gods call chalcis, and mortals 

 cymindis.&quot; (Some persons say that the hybris is the same 



