142 PLINY—MARTIAL—WAS THE ROD JOINTED? 
My reasons are three. First,gmy book contains numberless 
references to or quotations from it. Second, none of its 
thirty-seven Books presents any controversial questions of 
angling interest—such as ‘‘ Where is to be found the first 
mention of the Rod, or Fly ? ’—questions which demand for 
Martial and lian a full discussion. Third, my notice of 
Aristotle, on the principle that the greater includes the less, 
renders any lengthy comment on Pliny almost superfluous. 
The Natural History of the latter, at any rate as far as fish 
and fishing-are concerned, for the most part repeats the Natural 
History of the former, except in such instances as the caudal 
losses caused by the enmity between the Lupus and the Mugil, 
and between the Conger and the Murena, where it exactly 
reverses Aristotle’s statement.! 
These and other instances, in addition to his words (IX. 88), 
“Nigidius auctor est,” and (X. 19) “ Nigidius tradit,’’ led 
J. G. Schneider 2 to conclude that it is open to grave doubt, 
whether Pliny ever read Aristotle at all in the original Greek. 
The probabilities, indeed, point to his having used for his 
Natural History the translation into Latin of Aristotle, which 
Nigidius Figulus, a friend of Cicero’s and (according to Gellius) 
next to Varro the most learned of the Romans, published with 
additions apparently of his own.3 
In Pliny the Younger, and Martial (perhaps Ovid in a lesser 
degree) one finds what among our classical writers seems the 
nearest approach to our English sportsman, delighting in his 
own place, however small, in the country, and in country 
pursuits. These writers, in spite of living half the year 
or more in Rome, fall within our conception of country 
sportsmen. 
Most of the others seem more intent on bringing the scent 
of the hay before the footlights than on making us realise any 
real joy of fishing. They resemble more the week-enders of 
1 Arist., N. H., IX. 13., Pliny, IX. 88. Hardouin suggests that Pliny may 
have learned this fact from the works of Nigidius Figulus. 
2 Cf. J. G. Schneider, Petri Artedi Synonymia Piscium, etc., Lipsie, 1789. 
This work is an excellent example of the learning and industry of this most 
versatile editor and commentator: in nearly all points that are matters of 
doubt or dispute I have followed him, 
3 [bid., p. 76. 
