BOOK VIII. XXXVI. 87-xxxvn. 90 



XXXVI. That animal, which is also a native of,^^e,„^„. 

 Egypt, is specially known because of this exploit. 

 The asp repeatedly plunges into mud and dries itself 

 in the sun, and then when it has equipped itself with 

 a cuirass of several coatings by the same method, it 

 proceeds to the encounter. In this it raises its tail 

 and renders the blows it receives ineffectual by 

 turning away from them, till after watching for its 

 opportunity, with head held sideways it attacks its 

 adversary's throat. And not content with this 

 victim it vanquishes another animal no less ferocious, 

 the crocodile. 



XXXVII. This belongs to the Nile; it is a curse The 

 on four legs, and equally pernicious on land and in '^''°'^° '*' 

 the river. It is the only land animal not furnished 

 with a tongue and the only one that bites by press- 

 ing down the mobile upper jaw, and it is also 

 formidable because of its row of teeth set close 

 together Hke a comb. In size it usually exceeds 

 18 ells. It lays as many eggs as a goose, and by a 

 kind of prophetic instinct incubates them always 

 outside the Hne to which the Nile in that year is 

 going to rise at full flood, Nor does any other animal 

 grow to greater dimensions from a smaller original 

 size ; however, it is armed with talons as well, 

 and its hide is invincible against all blows. It passes 

 its days on land and its nights in the water, in both 

 cases for reasons of warmth. This creature when 

 sated with a meal of fish and sunk in sleep on the 

 shore with its mouth always full of food, is tempted 

 by a small bird (called there the ta-ochilus," but in 

 Italy the king-bird) to open its mouth wide to enable 

 the bird to feed ; and first it hops in and cleans out 

 the mouth, and then the teeth and inner throat also, 



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