B. IX. ] THE HISTOKY OF ANIMALS. 235 



iulus, pelamis, scombrus, and colias. Some of these are both 

 gregarious, and live in pairs, for all the others pair together ; 

 and some are gregarious at particular seasons, as it has been 

 said, while they are pregnant, and others in the season of 

 depositing their ova. 



2. The labrax and cestreus, though most hostile, will at 

 certain seasons congregate with each other, for not only do 

 congeners congregate together, but all those which feed 

 upon the same kind of food, where it is abundant. The 

 cestreus and the conger often survive after having been de- 

 prived of their tail up to the anus, for the cestreus is eaten 

 by the labrax, and the conger by the niuraena. The stronger 

 are hostile to the weaker, for the strong fish eat the others. 

 This much concerning marine creatures. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1. IT has been already observed, that the dispositions of 

 animals vary in cowardice, mildness, courage, gentleness, 

 intelligence, and folly. The disposition of sheep, as I have 

 said before, is foolish, and without sense ; they are the most 

 cowardly of all animals, and steal away into desert places 

 for no purpose, and in winter often escape from their fold. 

 When overtaken by a snow-storm, they will not get away, 

 unless the shepherd drives them, but will stay behind and 

 perish, unless the shepherds carry off the males, when the 

 rest will follow. 



2. If a person takes any of the goats by the beard (which 

 is like hair), all the rest stand by as if infatuated, and look 

 at it. Sheep will sleep in colder places than goats, for sheep 

 are more quiet, and are ready to submit themselves to man- 

 kind. Groats do not bear the cold so well as sheep. Shep- 

 herds teach sheep to come together when they make a noise, 

 and if any of them is left behind and does not join the flock 

 when it thunders, it will cast its young, if pregnant ; where- 

 fore, when a noise is made, they will collect together in 

 their sheds according to their custom. (Bulls are destroyed 

 by wild beasts, if they wander away from their herd.) Sheep 

 and goats lie down to rest separately in their races, 

 and when the sun. begins to descend, the shepherds say that 

 the goats do not lie down with their faces to each other, but 

 they turn their backs upon each other. 



