BOOK IX. Lxxxvni. 185-186 



gnaw each other's tails. The langouste is so terrified 

 of the polyp that it dies if it merely sees one near 

 to it, and so does the conger if it sees a langouste ; 

 while on the other hand congers tear a polyp to 

 pieces. Nigidius states that the wolf-fish gnaws 

 at the tail of the mullet, although they are friendly 

 together in certain months, but that all the mullets 

 with their tails amputated in this way continue to 

 live. But on the other hand instances of friendship, 

 in addition to the creatures whose alHance we have 

 mentioned," are the whale and the sea-mouse : 

 because the whale's eyes are over-burdened with 

 the excessively heavy weight of its brows the sea- 

 mouse swims in front of it and points out the 

 shallows dangerous to its bulky size. so acting as 

 a substitute for eyes. 



There will follow an account of the natures of birds. 



" See ^ 142. 



289 



