B.VIII.] THE HISTORY OF ANIMALS. 223 



recognised; all the veins, and the head and neck are extended, 

 and their legs are stiff when they walk ; the horses also become 

 full of corrupt matter. They are also attacked by another 

 disease in which they are said to have the crithia j 1 the soft- 

 ness of the roof of the mouth, and heated breath, are the 

 signs of this disease, which is incurable, unless it stays of 

 its own accord. Another disease is called nymphia, 2 which 

 is relieved by the sound of a flute ; it causes them to hang 

 down their heads, and when anyone mounts they rush for- 

 ward until they run against something. The horse is always 

 dejected if afflicted with madness ; this is a sign of it, if 

 it lays down its ears upon its mane, and then draws them 

 forward, and pants and breathes hard. 



3. These also are incurable if the heart is affected. It is 

 a sign of this disease if the animal suffers from relax- 

 ation. And if the bladder alters its position, difficulty in 

 making water is a sign of this disease ; it draws up the hoofs 

 and loins. It is also fatal for the horse to swallow the sta- 

 philinus, which is of the same size as the spondyla. The 

 bite of the shrew mouse is injurious to other animals also ; 

 it causes sores, which are more severe if the creature is preg- 

 nant when it bites, for the sores then break. If they are not 

 pregnant, the animal does not perish. The creature called 

 chalkis by some persons and zygnis by others, inflicts either 

 a fatal or very painful bite. It resembles a small lizard, and 

 is of the same colour as the serpent called the blind worm. 



4. And, on the whole, those who understand horses say 

 that both these animals and sheep suffer from all the in- 

 firmities with whfch mankind is afflicted. The horse, and 

 every other beast of burden, is destroyed by the poison of 

 sandarach. 3 It is dissolved in water and strained. The 

 pregnant mare casts her young with the smell of a lamp going 

 out. This also happens to some pregnant women. This is 

 the nature of the diseases of horses. 



5. The hippomanes, as it: is called, is said to be produced 

 upon the foals ; the mares when they have bitten it off lick the 

 foal and cleanse it. The fables on this subject have been in- 

 vented by women and charmers. It is, however, agreed that 

 mares before parturition eject the substance called polion. 



6. Horses recognise again the voices of any with which 



1 Indigestion caused by eating barley when heated. 



2 Phrensy. 3 Red sulphuret of arsenic. 



