292 Pliny's natukal histobt. [Book VIII 



discharged on their feeding upon this plant/ The same ani- 

 mals, too, when they happen to have been wounded by the 

 phalangium, a species of spider, or by any insect of a similar 

 nature, cure themselves by eating crabs. One of the very best 

 remedies for the bite of the serpent, is the plant* with which 

 lizards treat their weunds when injured in fighting with each 

 other. The swallow has shown us that the chelidonia' is 

 very serviceable to the sight, by the fact of its employing it 

 for the cure of its young, when their eyes are affected. The 

 tortoise recruits its powers of eifectnally resisting serpents, by 

 eating tho plant which is known as cunUe bubula ; '" and the 

 weasel feeds on rue, when it fights with the serpent in the 

 pursuit of mice." The stork cures itself of its diseases with wild 

 marjoram, and the 'v^d boar with ivy, as also by eating crabs, 

 and more particularly those that have been thrown up by the 

 sea." The snake, when the membrane which covers its body 



' The fabulous account of the powers of this herb is referred to in B. 

 xiT. c. 53, and supported by the highest authorities ; among others, by 

 Aristotle, Hist. Amm. B. ix. c. 6. ; Cicero, De Nat. Deor. B. ii. u. 50 ; 

 Virgil, iEn. B. xii. c. 412.— B. . ■ 



* See B. xxii. c. 45, for a similar cure. It is not known what plant is 

 here alluded to, but it has been thought to be the cinara, or artichoke. 



' The Chelidonium majus of Linnaeus. It probably derived its name 

 from the swallow, T^tXilutv, because its flowers appear at the time that 

 bird makes its first appearance in the spring. This supposed property is 

 mentioned by .Slian, Anim. Nat. B. iii. c. 25. Pliny speaks of its efficacy 

 in diseases of the eyes, B. xxv. c. 50, and c. 91. — B. 



'" Pliny speaks of the medical virtues of cunile bubula, in B. xx. c. 61 ; 

 Columella, B. vi. c. 13, says that it is a cure for scabies. It is not certain 

 what is the plant here referred to ; it is considered identical with origanum, 

 by Hardouin, and has been supposed by some to he marjoram, or penny- 

 royal. The effect of the cunile on the tortoise is mentioned by Aristotle, 

 Hist. Anim. B. ix. c. 6 ; by Plutarch, Nat. Qusest. ; ^lian, Anim. Nat. 

 B. vi. c. 12 ; and by Albertus Magnus, B. viii. Tr. ii. c. 2 ; but there is 

 some difference in their statements. Some speak of it as an antidote, en- 

 abling the tortoise to counteract the poison of the serpent, while others 

 regard it as giving the tortoise increased vigour to resist the attacks. 



" Aristotle, tibi supra, and MHnn, Anim. Nat. B. iv. c. 14, refer to this 

 supposed fact, which is without foundation, so far, at least, as the contest 

 of the weasels with the serpents and the rue are concerned. The hostility of 

 the weasel to the mouse is probably correct. Pliny again refers to it, B. 

 XX. c. 51, and it forms the subject of one of Phaedrus's Fables, B. iv. 

 c. 2.— B. 



12 We have the same account in Plutarch.— B. Plutarch speaks, however, 

 of t'le ntijr crab. 



