BOOK VIII. L. 119-LI. 122 



eases — indeed it even supplies a prophylactic against 

 their attack ; we know that recently cei-tain ladies 

 of the imperial house have made a practice of eating 

 venison every day in the morning and have been 

 free from fevei*s throughout a long Ufetime; though 

 it is thought that this only hokls good if the stag has 

 been killed by a single wound. 



The animal called the goat-stag, occurring only The 

 near the river Phasis," is of the same appearance, ^""''■•"«s- 

 diifering only in having a beard, and a fleece on the 

 shoulders. 



LI. Africa almost alone does not produce stags, The 

 but Africa also has the chamaeleon, although India "^ amaeeon. 

 produces it in greater numbers. Its shape and size 

 were those of a hzard, were not the legs straight 

 and longer. The flanks are joined on to the belly 

 as in fishes, and the spine projects in a similar manner. 

 It has a snout not unhke a pigs, considering its 

 small size, a very long tail that tapers towards 

 the end and curls in coils Uke a \iper, and crooked 

 talons ; it moves rather slowly Uke a tortoise and has 

 a rough body hke a crocodile's, and eyes in a hollow 

 recess, close together and very large and of the same 

 colours as its body. It never shuts its eyes, and 

 looks round not by moving the pupil but by turning 

 the whole eye. It holds itself erect with its mouth 

 always wide open, and it is the only animal that does 

 not Uve on food or drink or anything else but the 

 nutriment that it derives from the air,'' with a gape 

 that is almost terrifying,«^ but otherwise it is harmless. 

 And it is more remarkable for the nature of its colour 

 ing, since it constantly changes the hue of its eyes 

 and tail and whole body and always makes it the 

 colour with which it is in closest contact, except 



87 



