BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 55 



one of them forth by Name ; and when he hath obeyed the 

 Call, he will tear him in Pieces. Also that he will imitate 

 the Vomiting of a Man, to entice the Dogs to come to him, 

 and then devour them. This Beast alone will dig up the 

 Graves in search of Bodies. The Female is seldom taken. 

 There are a thousand Variations in their Eyes, through the 

 change of Colour. Moreover, if a Dog come within his 

 Shadow, he becometh dumb. Again, by certain magical 

 Arts, if he go round about any other living Creature three 

 Times, it shall not have the Power to stir a Foot. The 

 Lioness of Ethiopia, by Copulation with this kind, brings 

 forth the Leocrocuta j 1 which likewise knoweth how to imi- 

 tate the Voice both of Man and the Sheep. His Sharpness 

 of Sight is constant ; he hath one continuous Tooth (in 

 either Jaw), and no Gums. That these Bones may not be- 

 come blunt by continual rubbing against one another, they 

 are enclosed as if within a Sheath. 



Juba reporteth that the Mantichora 2 in Ethiopia imi- 

 tateth Men's Language. Many Hyaenas are produced in 

 Africa; which also yieldeth a Multitude of wild Asses. 3 

 And one of the Males ruleth whole Flocks of the female 

 Asses. These Beasts are so jealous, that they look narrowly 

 to the Females great with young; and as soon as they have 

 foaled, they castrate the young Males. On the other Hand, 

 the she-Asses, when they are with young, seek hiding- 

 places, from a Desire to bring forth secretly; and they delight 

 in the Abundance of their Gratification. 



The Beavers in Pontus 4 do the same as the male Asses, 

 by the same Parts, when Danger presses ; as knowing that 

 they are sought after for this ; and these Parts Physicians 

 call Castoreum. And otherwise, the Bite of this Creature is 



1 Lib. viii. 21. 2 Lib. viii. 21. 



3 Lib. viii. 15. Pliny tells us here, and again in the 44th chapter, 

 that the wild ass was found in Africa ; but no traveller has since met 

 with it. And as far as we know, the species in a wild state is confined to 

 Asia. It has even retired from Syria and Asia Minor, where it was 

 formerly found. Wern. Club. 



4 Lib. xxxii. 3. 



