1 78 History of Nature. [BooK IX . 



pant with their little Gills : which they do when they do not 

 want Water: and that is the Reason also why Eels live a long 

 Time after they are taken out of the Water. He affirmeth, 

 also, that the Eggs (of Fishes) lying upon the dry Land, 

 will come to their Maturity, as those of the Tortoises. Also, 

 that in the same Country of Pontus, there are taken Fishes 

 in the Ice, and Gobiones 1 especially, which do not show a 

 vital Motion, but by the Heat of the Cooking- Vessels. In 

 this some Reason may be given, although the Thing is won- 

 derful. The same Author reporteth, that in Paphlagonia 

 there are digged out of the Ground Land-fishes that are very 

 excellent as Food : but they are found in deep Furrows, in 

 such Places where no Waters settle. Himself wondereth 

 how they are produced without the help of Moisture. He 

 supposeth that there is in them a certain Force of Liquid in 

 Wells, as Fishes are found in some of them. Whatever it is, 

 surely it is less wonderful, considering how Moles live (a 

 Creature naturally keeping under Ground), unless, perhaps, 

 that these Fishes are of the same Nature with Earth-worms. 



CHAPTER LVIII. 

 Of the Mice of the Nile. 



BUT the Inundation of the Nile brings Credibility to 

 all these Matters ; for it exceedeth all other Wonders. For 

 when the Ground becometh again uncovered, little Mice are 

 found imperfectly formed from the generative Virtue of 

 Water and Earth : having one Part of their Body living, 

 but the rest of the Form no better than the Earth. 



CHAPTER LIX. 

 Of the Fish Anthias* and how it is taken. 



I DO riot think it proper to omit that which I perceive 

 many have believed concerning the Fish Anthias. We have 



1 Perhaps some fish resembling the Gudgeon. Wern. Club. 



2 It appears from Oppian, B. i., that four different sorts of fish were 

 called by this name. The fish referred to by Pliny may be the Labrus 

 anthias, LINN., and Serranus anthias, Cuv. Wern. Club. 



