BOOK X. XXXVIII. 74-xLi. 77 



This is the latest of the migratory birds admitted to 

 the menu, because of its unpleasant pungent flavour ; 

 but the Tomb of Meleager has made it famous. 



XXXIX. There is a species called birds of Seleucis ^'*«'" 

 for whose arrival prayers are offered to Jupiter by the 

 inhabitants of Mount Cadmus when locusts destroy 

 their crops ; it is not known where they come from, 

 nor where they go to when they depart, and they 

 are never seen except when their protection is needed. 

 XL. Also the people of Egypt invoke their ibis to 

 guard against the arrival of snakes, and those of 

 Ehs invoke tlie god Myiacores when a swarm of 

 flies brings plague, the flies dying as soon as a sacrifice 

 to this god has been performed. 



XLI. But in the matter of the withdrawal of birds, Thenight- 

 it is stated that even night-owls go into retreat for distnbut^n 

 a few days. It is said that this kind does not exist ofspedes. 

 in the island of Crete and even that if one is im- 

 ported there it dies off. For this also is a remarkable 

 point of variety estabUshed by nature : to various 

 places she denies various species of animals as well 

 as of crops and shrubs. For those animals not to be 

 born there is in the ordinary course of things, but 

 their dying oif when imported there is remarkable. 

 What is the factor adverse to the health of a single 

 genus that is involved, or what is the jealousy of 

 nature that is indicated? Or v/hat frontiers are 

 prescribed for birds ? Rhodes does not possess the 

 eagle ; Italy north of the Po gives the name of 

 Como to a lake near the Alps graced with a 

 wooded tract to which storks do not come ; and 

 similarly jays and jackdaws — a bird whose unique 

 fondness for stealing especially silver and gold is 

 remarkable — though swarming in enormous numbers 



voL. iii. ivi 341 



