BOOK VIII. Lx. 141-LX1. 144 



this genus is said not to live more than six months. 

 The lizard of Arabia is 18 inches long, but those on 

 Mount Nysus in India reach a length of 24 feet, 

 and are coloured yellow or scarlet or blue. 



LXI. Many also of the domestic animals are DomesUc 

 worth studying, and before all the one most faithful fiv;X«y o/ 

 to man, the dog, and the horse. We are told oi dogs. 

 a dog that fought against brigands in defence of 

 his master and although covered with wounds 

 would not leave his corpse, driving away birds 

 and beasts of prey ; and of another dog in 

 Epirus which recognized his master's murderer in a 

 gathering and by snapping and barking made him 

 confess the crime. The King of the Garamantes" 

 was escorted back from exile by 200 dogs who did 

 battle with those that offered resistance. The people 

 of Colophon and also those of Castabulmn had troops 

 of dogs for their wars ; these fought fiercely in the 

 front rank, never refusing battle, and were their most 

 loyal supporters, never requiring pay. When some 

 Cimbrians were killed their hounds defended their 

 houses placed on waggons. When Jason of Lycia 

 had been murdered his dog refused to take food 

 and starved to death. But a dog the name of which 

 Duris gives as Hyrcanus when king Lysimachus's 

 pyre was set ahght threw itself into the flame, and 

 similarly at the funeral of King Hiero. PhiHstus 

 also records the tyrant Gelo's dog Pyrrhus ; also 

 the dog of Nicomedes king of Bithynia is recorded 

 to have bitten the King's wife Consingis because she 

 played a rather loose joke with her husband. Among 

 ourselves the famous Vulcatius, CascelHus's tutor in 

 civil law, when returning on his cob * from his place 

 near Rome after nightfall was defended by his dog 



