546 flint's NATUHAIi HISTOET. [Boot X. 



it becomes fine. This animal is so intensely cold as to extin- 

 guish fire by its contact, in the same way as ice does. It spits 

 forth a milky matter from its mouth ; and whatever part of 

 the hTiman body is touched with this, all the hair falls off, and 

 the part assumes the appearance of leprosy. 



CHAP. 87. (68.) ANIMALS WHICH AKE BOKN OF BEINGS THAT 



HAVE NOT BEEN BOKN THEMSELVES ^ANIMALS WHICH ARE BOBN 



THEMSELVES BUT AEE NOT EEPKOBUCTTVE ANIMALS WHICH 



AHE OP NEITHBK SEX. 



Some animals, again, are engendered of beings that are not 

 engendered themselves, and have no such origin as those above 

 mentioned, which are produced in the spring, or at some stated 

 period of the year. Some of these are non-productive, the sa- 

 lamander, for instance, which is of no sex, either male or fe- 

 male ; a distinction also, which does not exist in the eel and 

 the other kinds that are neither viviparous nor oviparous. The 

 oyster also, as well as the other dieU-fish that adhere to the 

 bottom of the sea or to rocks, are of neither sex. Again, as to 

 those animals which are able to engender of themselves, if they 

 are looked upon as divided into male and female, they do en- 

 gender something, it is true, by coupling, but the produce is im- 

 perfect, quite dissimilar to the animal itself, and one from which 

 nothing else is reproduced ; this we find to be the case with 

 flies, when they give birth to maggots. This fact is better iUua- 

 trated by the nature of those animals which are known as in- 

 sects ; .a subject, indeed, very di£B.cult of explanation, and one 

 which requires to be treated of in a Book*' by itself. We will, 

 therefore, proceed for the present with our remarks lipon the 

 instincts of the animals that have been previously mentioned. 



CHAP. 88. (69.) THE SENSES OF ANIMALS THAT ALL HAVE THE 



SENSES OF TOlrCH AND TASTE— jTHOSE WHICH AEE MOKE EEMAEE:- 



ABLE FOE THEIB SIGHT, SMELL, OK HEAKING MOLES WHETHER 



OTSTEfiS HAVE THE SENSE OF HEAKING. 



Man excels more especially in his sense of touch, and next, 

 in that of taste. In other respects, he is surpassed by many 

 of the animals. Eagles can see more clearly than any other 

 animals, while vultures have the better smeU ; moles hear more 



*' See the following Book. 



