22O Gleanings from the 



power in trout to aflimilate their colour to their 

 furroundings. 



If Ariftotle contains many facls with not a few 

 fables, Pliny's " Natural Hiftory of Fifh " confifts 

 of many fables with but few facts. He is 

 omnivorous and indifcriminating ; like his own 

 Silurus, " a great devourer, and maketh foule 

 work, for no Jiving creatures come amifTe unto 

 him ; he fetteth up all indifferently." Marvels of 

 every kind are dear to him, fuch as the Indian 

 fifties, like eels, fixty cubits long, and fo ftrong 

 that when elephants come to the river to drink, 

 they catch their trunks with their teeth, and 

 " mauger their hearts, force them downe under 

 the water." A few more fpecimens of his 

 curioufly blended facts and fancies may be given. 

 All nm fuffer much from cold, " but thofe 

 efpecially who are thought to have a ftone in 

 their head, as the pikes, the chromes, fcienze and 

 pagri." Again, " The Arcadians make wonderous 

 great account of their exocoetus, fo called for that 

 hee goeth abroad and taketh up his lodging on 

 the dry land to fleep." Ariftotle was inclined to 

 be credulous when treating of eels. Liften to 

 Pliny : " Yeeles live 8 yeares. And if the North 

 wind blow they abide alive without water 6 daies, 

 but not fo long in a Southern wind. Of all fifh, they 

 alone if they lie dead, flote not above the water." 

 The whole life-hiftory of the eel is ftill fuch an 

 enigma that readers muft be cautious how they 

 fmile at Pliny's ftories. Take the following for 

 inftance : " There is a Lake in Italy called Benacus, 



