212 PLINY's NATITEAL HISTOET. [Book III. 



smaller island, 40 miles in length, and 150^ in circumference; 

 it contains the states of Jamnon^, Sanisera, and Magon'. 



In the open sea, at twelve miles' distance from the iai^er 

 island, is Capraria'* with its treacherous coast, so notorious for 

 its numerous shipwrecks ; and, opposite to the city of Palma, 

 are the islands known as the Msenariae*, Tiquadra'', and Little 

 Hannibalis^. 



The earth of Ebusus has the effect of driving away serpents, 

 while that of Colubraria produces them ; hence the latter spot 

 is dangerous to all persons who have not brought ^ath them 

 some of the earth of Ebusus. The Greeks have given it 

 the name of Ophiusa^. Ebusus too produces no^ rabbits to 

 destroy the harvests of the Baleares. There are also about 

 twenty other small islands in this sea, which is fuU of shoals. 

 Off the coast of Gaul, at the mouth of the Ehodanus, there 

 is Metina'", and near it the island which is known as Blascon", 

 with the three Stoechades, so caUed by their neighbours the 

 Massilians^^, on account of the regular order in which they 

 are placed; their respective names are Prote^^, Mese", also 



^ The circximference is about 110 miles, the length 32. 



2 Now audadela. 



^ Now Port Mahon. The site of Sanisera, which was probably mote 

 inland, is \mknown. 



4 Now Cabrera. The distance is not twelve, but nine miles. 



5 Now called the Malgrates. • Now Dragonera. 



7 Now El Torre. 



8 As already mentioned he seems to confound Formentera, which was 

 called Ophiusa, with the present group of Columbrete, which islands were 

 probably called Colubraria. 



3 The former editions mostly omit " nee " ; and so make it that Ebusus 

 does produce the rabbits. Certainly, it does seem more Ukely that he would 

 mention that fact than the absence of it, which even to Pliny could not 

 appear very remarkable. 



^" D'Anville thinks that this is Metapina, but D'Astruc thinks tliat 

 the flat islands, called Les Tignes, are meant. 



" Now called Brescon, ne&r Agde, according to D'Anville. 



12 Who were of Greek origin, and so called them, because they stood 

 in a row, (ttoIxos- 



13 Now called Porqueroles. Prote signifies the first, Mese the middle 

 one, and Hypsea the one below the others. 



" Now Port Croz. D'AnviUe considers that Pliny is mistaken in 

 identifying this island with Pomponiana or Pompeiana, which he con- 

 siders to be the same with the peninsula now called Calle de Giens, which 

 lies opposite to Porqueroles. 



