BOOK X. xcii. 197-XC111. 200 



rolling themselves up in a coil, and so cough out the 

 bits of eggshell, or if they ai-e young snakes as yet of 

 too tender an age, they catch hold of the eggs in the 

 ring of their coil and squeeze them so gradually and 

 forcibly that part is cut off as if with a knife from 

 the remainder which is held in their folds and then 

 they suck it in. In a Hke manner they swallow 

 birds whole and then with a heave bring up again 

 tlie feathers and the bones. 



XCIII. Scorpions hve on earth. Snakes are Cvriow 

 specially fond of wine when they have the chance, nuirmonoj 

 though otherwise they need httle drink ; they also different 

 need very httle food, and almost none at all when 

 they are kept shut up ; just as do spiders also, which 

 otherwise Hve by suction. Consequently no veno- 

 mous creature dies of hunger or thirst ; for they 

 have neither heat nor blood, nor yet sweat, which 

 increases appetite by its natural salt. AU in this 

 class are more deadly if they have eaten their own 

 kind before they attack somebody. The class of dog- 

 headed apes and ourang-outangs stores food in the 

 rccesses of the jaw-bones, and then gradually takes 

 it out from there with its hands to chew it — and 

 what with ants is an annual ceremony is for these a 

 daily or hourly practice. The only animal with toes 

 that Hves on grass is the hare ; soHd-hooved animals 

 Hve on grass and corn, and among animals with 

 cloven feet the pig eats all kinds of fodder and also 

 roots. RolHng on the ground is pecuHar to animals 

 with soHd hooves. All species with serrated teeth 

 are carnivorous. Bears also eat grain, leaves, 

 grapes and fruits and bees, and even crabs and 

 ants. Wolves, as we have said," when hungry Ruminants. 

 even eat earth. Cattle grow fat with drinking, 



419 



