Plinies KatUrall Hifibrie. 



A newly ifpawnedjOr yet great with fpawnejthey all to cut & hacke thelti with their trenthant tccth^ 

 ycajtheyrunagainftthemasitwercafoiftorfhipof warre armed with ftiarpc brafeii pikes in 

 the beakc-head . But contrariwife, the Balaenes or Whales aforefaidj that canriot wind and 

 turne afide for defence^ and much lefTe make head arnd refift, fo unweldie as they bee by reafon 

 of their owncweightie and heaviebodiCj (and as then either big bellied, orelfe weakened late- 

 ly with the paincs of travell and calving their young ones) have no other meanes of heipe and 

 fuccour but to {hoot into the deepe, andgainefea-roume to defend themfelves from the ene- 

 mie. On the other fide^the Orcae labour(to cut them {hort of their purpofe) to lie betwecne them 

 and home in their very way^andotherwhiles kill them unawares in theftreightSj or drive them 

 upon the fhelves and lhallowes, orelieforcethemagainfttheveryrockes, and fobrule them^ 



B When thefecombates and fights are (eene, the^eafeemethasifit^^ere angry with it felfe ; for 

 albeit no winds are up^but all calme in that creeke and gulfe_,yet ye fhall have waves in that place 

 where they encounter (with the blalts of their breath, and the blowes given by the aflailant) fo 

 great^as no tempeftuous whirlewinds whatibever are not able to raife.In the haven of Oftia like^ 

 wife there was diicovered one of thefeOrcaes, and the fame aflailed b'jCLudim ihz Emperouri 

 It chaunced to come as he was making the faid harbour or pere, drawne and trained thither with 

 thefweetneffeofcertaine beafts hides that were brought out of Gaule^ and were caft away and 

 periflicd by the way. Of them for certaine daies fhee had fedj and ftill following them^ with the 

 weight of her heavie bodie had made a furrow and channel(as it were) with her bellic in the bot- 

 tome among the fhelves : and by reafon of the flowing of the fea fhee was fo inverted and com- 



C pafled in with the fands,that by no means pofTible fhe could turne about: but ftill while fhc go- 

 ethafterthefe hides whereof (be fed^fhe was by the billows of the (eacaftaflote upon the fhore^ 

 fo as her backe was to be feene a great dcale above the waterj much like to the bottome or keele 

 of a fhip turned upfide downe. Then the Emperour commaunded to draw great nets and cords 

 with many folds along the mouth of the haven on every fide behind the fifhjhimfelfe accompa- 

 nied with certaine Pretorian cohorts/or to fhew a pleafant fight unto the people of RomCjCamc 

 againft this monftirousfifh, and out of many hoies and baikestbe fouldiours launced 6siis and 

 javeli nes thickc. And one of them I faw my felfe funke downe right with the abundance of water 

 that this monftrous fifh (pouted and filled it withall. The Whales called Balense have a certaine 

 mouth or great hole in their forehead^and therefore as they fwim aflote aloft on the water, they 



D fend up on high(as it were) with a mightic ftrong breath a great quantitie of water when they lift^ 

 likcfiormesof raine. 



ClIAP. VIl. 



ff^ Whether fjh doe breath andjlee^e^or no* ^ 



A LI wiirers are fully refolved in this^That the Whales aboveiaid ^as well the Balaen^ lis thd 

 Orca?,and fomc few other fifliesbred and nourilhed in the (ca,vvhich among other inward 

 bowels have lights^doe breath. For otherwifc it were not polfible, that eitherthey or any 

 other beaft^without lights or lungs lliould blow. And they that be of this opinion/uppole like- 

 E wife,thatnofiflieshaving guilSjdo draw in and.deliver their wind ngaine too and fro snoriliany 

 other kinds befidcs,althougli they want the forefajd guils. Among others J[ fee that Ariflotlc^d^^ 

 of that rnind.and by many profound and learned reafons perfuaded and induced.many more t6 

 hold the famc.For mine owne partjif I fliould fpeake frank|ly what I thinke, I profefie that I anil 

 not of thei r judgement. For why ? Nature if fhe be fo difpofed^ may give in fieed of lights fome 

 other organs and inftruments of breath : to this creature one^to that another : like as many othei 

 creatures have another kind of moift humor in lieu of blond. And who would marvell , that this 

 vitall fpirit fhould pierce within the waters, confidering that hee feeth evidently how it rifeth a- 

 gaine and is delivered from thence : alfo how the aire entreth even into the earth, which is the 

 grofleft and hardeft element of al others? As we may perceive by this good argumeht,That fomc 

 F creatures, which albeit they be alwaies covered within the ground, yet live and breath neverthe- 

 lefie,and namely ,dic Wants orMold-waipes, Moreover, I have divers pregnant and effeduall 

 reafons inducing me to beleevejthat all water-creatures doe breath each one after their maner, 

 as Nature hath ordained. Firft and principally I have obferved oftentimes by experience. That 

 fifhes c vidently breath and pant for wind (after a fort)in the great heat of Summer : as alfo that 



they 



