300 APPENDIX. 



parts of his History, and those which were obnoxious to 

 dispute. 



Amongst other foolish and trifling questions with which 

 some Grammarian, in the Deipnosophistas of Athenaeus, (viii. 

 p. 352,) has endeavoured not only to impugn, hut even de- 

 stroy our philosopher's credibility, is the following : " I do 

 not much admire the diligence of Aristotle, though others 

 praise him so highly. At what time, I should like to know, 

 or from what Proteus or Nereus ascending from the deep. 

 to give him information, did he learn what the fishes were 

 doing there, and in what manner they slept and took their 

 food ; for he writes things of this kind, which are only ' the 

 miracles of fools,' as the comic poet says." 



I will not follow the rest of his argument, which relates 

 to terrestrial and winged animals ; for the aquatic, and espe- 

 cially the marine creatures, seem to offer the greatest oppor- 

 tunity for questioning the fidelity of his narrative. In the 

 first place, then, we may observe, that of all mankind the 

 Greeks were amongst the greatest eaters of fish, at least 

 after the heroic and Homeric ages ; for Homer is never 

 found to mention fish at the suppers and festivals of his 

 heroes. So that I should not wonder if the frequent and 

 repeated industry and observation of fishermen, following 

 their labours both in rivers and seas, to adorn the tables of 

 their fellow citizens, supplied ample and varied information 

 to learned men who were engaged in the investigation of 

 natural objects. By the same means they might learn 

 from hunters the haunts and dispositions of wild beasts, 

 and those of domesticated animals from husbandmen. 

 The whole life and labour of such men was devoted to the 

 uses, advantages, and food of man ; and their observations 

 would be particularly directed to those animals which could 

 assist in sharing the labours of mankind, or whose flesh or 

 other parts were required for food or medicine. Their par- 

 turition and its proper time, the number of their young, the 

 manner of bringing them up, their nutriment, the pastures 

 and food of the parents, and the proper time for hunting them, 

 were observed with the greatest accuracy. And if any 

 diseases arising from the weather, their food, or their drink 

 impended over them, and threatened their production or the 

 life of the wild cattle, or if a peculiar or common enemy 



