BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 69 



Times past digged up only about the Sea-coast of the Alps ; 

 but of late they have been dug up in Veliternum also. But 

 the very best of them all are in the Island Astypalaea. 



Lizards 1 are the most deadly Enemies to Snails; and Men 

 say that they do not live above six Months. In Arabia are 

 Lizards of a Cubit in Length : and in the Mountain Nisa, in 

 India, they are four-and-twenty Feet long; some tawny, 

 some light red, and others sky-blue. 



CHAPTER XL. 

 Of Dogs* 



AMONG those Creatures which associate with us there 

 are many Things worthy of being known ; and the Dog is 

 beyond all others the most faithful to Man, and the Horse 

 next. We have heard, beyond doubt, of a Dog, that in 

 Defence of his Master fought hard against Thieves ; and 

 although he was wounded through the Body in many Places, 

 yet would he not abandon him, but drove away the wild 

 Birds and savage Beasts : also of another in Epirus, who in 

 a great Assembly of the People, recognising the Man who 

 had murdered his Master, by barking at and tearing him 

 furiously, compelled him to confess the Crime. Two hundred 

 Dogs restored from Exile a King of the Garamantes ; fight- 

 ing against all that opposed him. The Colophonians, and 

 also the Castabaleans, possessed Squadrons (Cohorts) of 

 Dogs for War ; and these were put in the front of the Battle, 

 and were never known to draw back. These were their 

 trustiest Auxiliaries, and never in want of Pay. In a Battle 

 when the Cimbri were slain, the Dogs defended their Houses 

 placed upon the Waggons. Jason the Lycian had a Dog, 

 which, after his Master was slain, would never eat Meat, but 



1 When Pliny tells us that some Lizards were a cubit in length, while 

 others were twenty-four feet, it will hardly be necessary to inform the 

 reader that the Romans included many different species, and even genera, 

 under the terms Lacerta and Lacertus. Wern. Club. 



2 Camsfamiliaris. 'Liyx. The Dog. Wern. Club. 



