BOOK VIII. L. 113-116 



the hunters draw near again seeking refuge in 

 flight : this is done owing to pain in the gut, which 

 is so weak that a Hght blow causes internal rupture. 

 But when they hear the baying of hounds they ahvays 

 run away down wind, so that their scent may go away 

 with them. They can be charmed by a shepherd's 

 pipe and by song. Their hearing is very keen when 

 they raise their ears, but dull when they drop them. 

 In other respects the deer is a simple animal and 

 stupefied by surprise at everything — so much so that 

 when a horse or a heifer is approaching they do not 

 notice a huntsman close to them, or if they see him 

 merely gaze in wonder at his bow and arrows. 

 They cross seas swimming in a herd strung out in 

 Hne with their heads resting on the haunches of the 

 ones in front of them, and taking turns to drop to 

 the rear : this is most noticed when they are crossing 

 from CiHcia to Cyprus ; and they do not keep land 

 in sight but swim towards its scent. The males have 

 horns, and alone of animals shed them every year at a 

 fixed time in spring; consequently when the day in 

 question approaches they resort as much as possible 

 to unfrequented places. When they have lost 

 their horns they keep in hiding as if disarmed — 

 although these animals also are grudging of their 

 special good: people say that a stag's right horn, 

 which is endowed with some sort of heaHng drug, 

 is never found ; and this must be confessed to be the 

 more surprising in view of the fact that even stags 

 kept in warrens change their horns every year : 

 it is thought that they bury them. The smell of 

 either horn when burnt arrests attacks of epilepsy. 

 They also bear marks of their age in their horns, 

 each year till they are six years old adding one tine ; 



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