1 62 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



the weasel feeds on rue, when it fights with the serpent 

 in pursuit of mice. The Stork cures itself of its diseases, 

 with wild marjoram, and the wild boar with ivy, as also 

 by eating crabs, and, more particularly, those that have 

 been thrown up by the sea. 



"The snake, when the membrane which covers its 

 body, has been contracted by the cold of winter, throws 

 it off in the spring, by the aid of the juices of fennel, and 

 thus becomes sleek and youthful in appearance. First 

 of all it disengages the head, and then it takes no less 

 than a day and a night in working itself out, and divest- 

 ing itself of the membrane in which it has been enclosed. 

 The same animal, too, on finding its sight weakened 

 during its winter retreat, anoints and refreshes its eyes 

 by rubbing itself on the plant called fennel, or marathrum ; 

 but, if any of the scales are slow in coming off, it rubs 

 itself against the thorns of the juniper. The dragon 

 relieves the nausea which affects it in spring, with the 

 juices of the lettuce. The barbarous nations go to hunt 

 the panther, provided with meat that has been rubbed 

 with Aconite, which is a poison. Immediately on eating 

 it, compression of the throat overtakes them, from which 

 circumstance it is, that the plant has received the name 

 of pardalianches (pard-strangler). The animal, however, 

 has found an antidote against this poison in human 

 excrements ; besides which, it is so eager to get at 

 them, that the shepherds purposely suspend them in a 

 vessel, placed so high, that the animal cannot reach 

 them, even by leaping, when it endeavours to get at 

 them ; accordingly, it continues to leap, until it has 

 quite exhausted itself, and at last expires : otherwise, 

 it is so tenacious of life that it will continue to fight, 

 long after its intestines have been dragged out of its body. 



