22i THE HISTORY OF ANIMALS. [B. VIII 



they may have fought. They delight in meadows and 

 marshes, and drink dirty water ; and if it is clean, they first 

 disturb it with their hoof, and then drink and wash them- 

 selves. And on the whole, the horse is an animal fond of 

 water, and still more fond of moisture ; wherefore, also, 

 the nature of the river-horse is thus constituted. In this 

 respect the ox is very different from the horse, for it will 

 not drink unless the water is clean, cold, and unmixed. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



1. ASSES only suffer from one disease, which is called melis, 

 which first attacks the head of the animal, and causes a 

 thick and bloody phlegm to flow from the nostrils. If the 

 disease extends to the lungs, it is fatal ; but that which first 

 attacks the head is not so. This animal cannot bear cold, 

 for which reason there are no asses in the vicinity of the 

 Pontus and in Scythia. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



1. ELEPHANTS suffer from flatulent diseases, for which 

 reason they can neither evacuate their fluid or solid excre- 

 ments. If they eat earth they become weak, unless used 

 to such food. If it is accustomed to it, it does no harm. 

 Sometimes the elephant swallows stones. It also suffers 

 from diarrhoea. When attacked with this complaint, they are 

 cured by giving them warm water to drink, and hay dipped 

 in honey to eat ; and either of these remedies will stop the 

 disease. When fatigued for want of sleep, they are cured 

 by being rubbed on the shoulders with* salt and oil, and 

 warm water. When they suffer from pain in the shoulders, 

 they are relieved by the application of roasted swine's 

 flesh. Some elephants will drink oil, and some will not; 

 and if any iron weapon is struck into their body, the oil 

 which they drink assists in its expulsion; and to those 

 which will not drink it, they give wine of rice cooked with 

 oil. This, then, is the nature of quadrupeds. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



1. INSECTS generally thrive when the year is of the same 

 kind as the season in which they were born, such as the 

 spring, moist and warm. Certain creatures are produced 



