OPPIAN 



oo-a (nr€piJ.oXoyi€i (no specific bird is mentioned but 

 the reference would be first and foremost to the 

 Rookj Cormis frugUegus, L., cf. A. 5.92 b 28, Aristoph. 

 Av. 232, 579, etc.), and lastly "the Duck {yrjo-a-a) and 

 others which live in marshes or in water." Here we 

 have traces of sub-groups based on habit or habitat. 

 Under the third genus (Fishes) we have several 

 such groups. He specifies (1) o-KopTrios, SpaKutv, kqk- 

 Kv^, yAavKos, TrepKi], Opicrcra ; (2) ol verpaioi (rock- 

 haunting fishes), of which he mentions ki^At;, 

 cf)VKi<s, eA€</)tTts (aXc^TyoTT^s ?), K(t)/^tos ; (3) ot TrAav^rai *» 

 (wandering fishes), no example being named ; (4) 

 vdpKat Koi plvai /cat if/rjaaraL Kac ocra TOLavra ; (5) fishes 

 which live in muddy and wet places — K€<^aAot, kc- 

 (TTpaioi, (y^iXva Kal ol Xonrot tolovtol ; (6) fishes of 

 River and Lake (ot Trora/xtoi K-at Aiyavatot) ; (7) ttoAi'- 

 TToSes Kat crvyTTiai Kal to. Toiavra ; (8) to, KoyxvXta (i.e. 

 Ostracoderms) : irivvai, Trop<f>vpai, AeTraSes, K-t]pvK€s, 

 ocTTpea, fiv€<i, KTeves, xeAAiVat, KviSai, e;(tvot ; (9) Kapa- 

 /8os, /uv'es (yuaiat T), KapKivot (Trora/xtot koX ^aAatrcriot) 

 — i.e. Crustaceans. 



This enumeration, as we have said, is introduced 

 incidentally and there are indications that the writer 

 was familiar with more detailed classifications. For 

 example, he uses the t^rm Selachian (to. a-eX6.\ea), 

 although he neither defines the group nor specifies 

 the fishes which belong to it. Again, at the end of 

 the list he makes a series of other distinctions such 

 as Wild and Tame (these latter again being sub- 



* This should correspond to Aristotle's pvdSei or ireXayioi 

 but there is a curious discrepancy as to the quality of their 

 flesh : Hfpl A. ol 8i TrXavijrai Kal KVfj.aT6ir\r]yes . . . crrepfWT^pTjv 

 Ti)v (xdpKa ix°^"^'-^i *'•*• than ol Trerpaioi, but A. 598 a 8 at ffdpKet 

 (rvvftrrciffi fidWov tQiv tolovtwv Ix6v(j}v \i.e. tGiv tt poayil(3>v\, tQ)V 

 hk TTfXaylwv vypal elffi Kal icexi'M^''«'' 



