BOOK IX.] History of Nature. 181 



that if he spy him near, he immediately dieth. Locustae 

 tear the Conger : l the Congers again do the same to the 

 Polypus. Nigidius writeth, that the Lupus biteth off the 

 Mullet's Tail : and yet these Fishes in certain Months are 

 good Friends. But he saith that those Fishes live, although 

 their Tails are so gnawed off. On the other side, there are 

 Examples of Friendship among Fishes, besides those of 

 whose Society I have already written : as between the 

 Balsena, and the Musculus. 2 For whereas the (Balaena) hath 

 no use of his Eyes, by reason of the heavy Weight of his 

 Eyebrows that cover them, the other swimmeth before him, 

 and serveth him instead of Eyes, to show the Shallows, on 

 which his vast Bulk might be grounded. 



From this we will proceed to speak of the Nature of 

 Birds. 



1 Locustae congrum, ex Arist. lib. vii. cap. ii. Histor. Animal. 

 8 However small their eyes, Whales are, in general, sharp of sight. 

 What the Musculus is, seems uncertain. Went. Club. 



