1 12 History of Nature. [BooK IX. 



Sea appeareth as if it were angry with itself; for although 

 there are no Winds in the Bay, yet the Waves are so great 

 from their panting, and the Blows, as no Whirlwinds are able 

 to raise. In the Harbour of Ostia, also, one of these Orcae was 

 seen, and was assailed by Claudius the Prince. It had come 

 when he was making the Harbour, enticed by the Shipwreck 

 of Beasts' Hides that were brought from Gaul, on which for 

 several Days the Creature had been glutting itself; and so 

 it had made a Channel in the Bottom of the Shallows, which 

 was so narrowed in by the Action of the Waves, that it be- 

 came too narrow for the Creature to turn round ; but while 

 it still goeth after this Gluttony, being thrown by the Bil- 

 lows upon the Shore, its back appeared high above the 

 Water, like the Bottom of a Ship turned upside down. 

 Ccesar commanded Nets and Cords with many Folds to be 

 spread along the Mouth of the Harbour, and himself, accom- 

 panied with the Prsetorian Cohorts, exhibited it for a Show to 

 the People of Rome; the Soldiers being brought together, 

 darted their Spears from the Ships, one of which I myself 

 saw sunk, as it became filled with the Waves that this Beast 

 spouted up. Balsenae have Openings in their Forehead ; and 

 so as they swim on the Surface of the Water, they blow up 

 aloft Showers of Rain. 



CHAPTER VII. 

 Whether or no Fish breathe or sleep. 



ALL Writers allow that a very few other Fishes in the 

 Sea, which among other inward Bowels have a Lung, 

 breathe ; for without the latter Organ no Animal is thought 

 to draw breath* And they who are of this Opinion suppose, 

 likewise, that no Fishes having Gills draw in and return 

 their Breath by turns ; nor many other Kinds besides, al- 

 though they are without Gills : of which Opinion, I see, was 

 Aristotle; and he supported the Doctrine by many profound 

 Researches. But I must not conceal that 1 do not entirely agree 

 with this Opinion ; for, if Nature be so disposed, other internal 

 Organs are able to carry on the Function of Breathing in 



