THE NINTH BOOK 



HISTORY OF NATURE 



C. PLINIUS SECUNDUS. 



CHAPTER I. 

 Of the Nature of the Inhabitants of the Water. 



have pointed out the Nature of those Ani- 

 ma ^ s w hi c h are ca H e d Terrestrial, and which 

 have some Society with Men. And consi- 

 dering that among the others they that fly 

 K2OOOO* are the least, we will first treat of the Inha- 

 bitants of the Sea ; and of those also that live in Rivers or 

 Ponds. 



CHAPTER II. 



Why the Sea should breed the greatest living Creatures. 



THE Waters bring forth greater Abundance of living 

 Creatures, and these also of larger size, than the Land. 

 The Cause is evident, in the excessive Abundance of Mois- 

 ture. For the Birds, which live suspended in the Air, their 

 Case is otherwise. But in the Sea, which is so widely 

 spread abroad, so soft and proper to yield Nourishment 

 and increase, and receiveth the Causes of Propagation from 



