232 THE HISTORY OF ANIMALS. \_B. IX. 



enemies, for the ichneumon hunts the spider. Among birds 

 the pO3cilis and the lark and the wood-pecker and chloreus 

 are enemies, for they eat each others' eggs. The crow and 

 the owl also are enemies ; for at mid-day the crow, taking 

 advantage of the dim sight of the owl, secretly seizes and 

 devours its eggs, and the owl eats those of the crow during 

 the night ; and one of these is master during the day, the 

 other during the night. The owl and orchilus are enemies ; 

 for the latter eats the eggs of the owl. During the day 

 other birds fly round the owl, which is called " astonishing 

 it," and as they fly round it pluck off its feathers. For this 

 reason fowlers use it in hunting for all kinds of birds. 



4. The presbys contends with the weasel and crow, for 

 they eat its eggs and young. The turtle and pyrallis are 

 foes, for their food and mode of life are the same. The 

 celeus and libyus, kite and raven are enemies ; for the 

 kite, from the superiority of its claws and flight, can 

 take from the raven anything it may have caught, so that 

 their food is the cause of their enmity also. Those that 

 obtain their food from the sea also are foes, as the brenthus, 

 larus, and harpa. The triorches is a foe to the toad and 

 the serpent ; for the triorches eats the others. The turtle 

 and chloreus are foes, for the chloreus kills the turtle, and 

 the crow kills the bird called typanus. The little owl and 

 all other birds with crooked claws eat the calaris, from 

 whence their enmity arises. 



5. The gecko and the spider are enemies, for the gecko 

 eats spiders. The pipo is a foe to the heron, for it de- 

 vours the eggs and young of the heron. Enmity also exists 

 between the segithus and the ass; for the ass frequents thorny 

 places, that it may scratch its sores, and by this means, and 

 when it brays it overturns the eggs and young of the segithus, 

 for they fall out of the nest from fear of the noise, and the bird, 

 to revenge this injury, flies upon the ass and inflicts wounds. 

 The wolf is the enemy of the ass, bull, and fox ; for being a 

 carnivorous animal, it attacks both oxen, asses, and foxes. 

 The fox and circus are enemies for the same reason; for 

 the circus having crooked claws, and being carnivorous, 

 attacks and inflicts wounds with its claws. 



6. The raven is an enemy to the bull and ass, for it flies 

 round them and strikes their eyes. The eagle and the heroa 



