THE STAPHYLINUS OLENS. 271 



must eat the heart of a mole, while still beating, and freshly 

 plucked from the animal's body. To cure toothache, suspend 

 to your neck the tooth of a live mole. Lymphatic people 

 will gain in strength if sprinkled with a mole's blood. The 

 ashes of a mole are a sovereign remedy for scrofula; some 

 recommend for this disease the animal's liver, others the right 

 foot, and others the head. The earth of mole-hills, fashioned 

 into pastilles, and preserved in a tin box, is an excellent cure 

 for all kinds of tumours, and especially for abscesses on the 

 neck."* 



Such, according to Pliny's report, are the virtues of the 

 mole, as taught by the Magi. The Middle Ages adopted this 

 teaching, and even to-day, in obscure rural districts, you will 

 meet with superstitious notions which remind you of the ideas 

 of the ancient wise men and necromancers of antiquity. 



We have thus summarised the natural history of our hunter^ 

 let us now say a few words respecting the game he pursues. 



The insect before us is the Staphylinus olens. Its study 

 has been much neglected, probably on account of its repulsive 

 appearance. But, conquering our repugnance, let us take the 

 creature between our forefinger and thumb. See how vigor- 

 ously it defends itself! Its forked appendage is not for- 

 midable, it is too soft ; but take care of its mandibles ! With 

 these hard, horny, pointed pincers, it pricks the skin and 

 draws blood. Now, bring your nose close to the frightful 

 black insect at the very moment when it appears the most 

 * Pliny, "Hist. Nat.," xxx. 7, 12, 24. 



