BOOK X. L. 97-Li. loi 



at a time in a hare-skin, which is always hung on the 

 top boughs of trees. When magpies notice a person 

 observing their nest with special attention, they 

 transfer the eggs somewhere else. It is reported 

 that in the case of these birds, as their claws are 

 not adapted for grasping and carrying the eggs, 

 this is effected in a remarkable manner : they place 

 a sprig on the top of two eggs at a time, and solder 

 it with glue from their belly, and placing their neck 

 under the middle of it so as to make it balance 

 equally on both sides, carry it off somewhere else, 



LI. Nor yet are those species less cunning which, ^esuonthe 

 because the weight of their body forbids their 

 soaring aloft, make their nests on the ground. 

 The name of bee-eater is given to a bird that feeds its 

 parents in their lair ; its wings are a pale colour inside 

 and dark-bhie above, reddish at the tip. It makes 

 its nest in a hole dug in the ground to a depth of ten 

 feet. 



Partridges fortify their retreat with thorn a.nd. nahitsofthe 

 bush in such a way as to be completely entrenched math^^and 

 against wild animals ; they heap a soft covering of ''itcMng. 

 dust on their eggs. and they do not sit on them at the 

 place where they laid them but remove them some- 

 where else, lest their frequently resorting there 

 should cause somebody to suspect it. Hen partridges 

 in fact deceive even their own mates, because these 

 in the mtemperance of their lust break the hens' 

 eggs so that they may not be kept away by sitting 

 on them ; and then the cocks owing to their desire 

 for the hens fight duels with each other ; it is said 

 that the one who loses has to accept the advances 

 of the victor. Trogus indeed says this also occurs 

 occasionally with quails and farmyard cocks, but 



355 



