Plinies Naturall Hiflorie* 



2 



A 



Chap, IX. 

 "^ofPorfonfes. 



THePorpoiflrcSjVvhieh the Entities call r^r/^mjarc made like the Dolphins :liowbeit they 

 differ,!!! that they have a more fad and heaviecountenancerfor they are nothing lo game- 

 fome jplayfull^and wantotn, as be theDolphinSi but clpecially they are fnoutcd like doggeis 

 when they fnaricj grin^ and are rcadie to doe a flirewd tiirne. 



^ ChAP. X« / 



}^ of fcaTortoifis^and how they are taken, 



THcre befound Torcoifes in the Indian Tea fo greatj that one only (hell of them is fufficiens 

 fortheroLifeof a dwelling houfc . And amongthelflands principally in the red fea^they ^ 

 life Tortoifefhelis ordinarily for boats and wherries upon the water. 

 , Many waies the fifher-menhave tocatch them j but efpecially in this manner :They ufe in 

 the mornings when the weather iscalme and ftillj to flote aloft upon the water, wirh their backs 

 to be feene all over : and then they take fuch pleafure in breathing freely and at libertie^that they 

 forget themfelves altogither: infomuch as their fliellin this time is fo hardened and baked with 

 C the funne jihat when they would they cannot dive and finke under the water againc , but are for- 

 ced againft theit wills to flote above^ and by that meanes are expofed as a prey unto the fifher- 

 men.Somefay.that they goc forth in the night to land for to feed, wherejwith eating greedily^ 

 they be wearie jfo that m the morning, when they are returned againc,they falifoone alleepe a'-^ 

 bove the water^and keepe fuch a fnorting and routing in their lieepe, that they bewray where 

 they be, and fo are eafily taken; and yet there muft be three men about every one of them: and 

 V9hen they have fwom unto theTortoiie^two of them turnc him upon bis backe, the third cafts 

 a cord or halter about himjas he lyeth with his belly upward,and thenis he haled by many more 

 togiiher^to the land. In the Phoenician fea, they make no great adotto take them jfor why, at a 

 certainetimeof the yeere they refort of themfelves by great multitudes mfeulls up into the ri- 

 verEleuiherius. 



TlieTortoifehath no teeth, but the fides and brimmes of his neb or becke, arc fbarpe and@) 

 ■keene: whereof the upper part or chaw ftiutteth clofe upon thenetherjiiketothelidafa boxe; 

 Inthcfea they live ol nuiIcles,cockIes, andfuchfmali fhell-fillies, for their raouthes are fo hard 

 that they be able to crufh and breake ftones therewith . Their manner is to go aland,where a- 

 jBongthegrafTecheylay egges as biggcas birds cgs,to the number commonly of an hundred. 

 When they havefodone^ they hide them within the earth in fome little hole or gutter, fure 

 enough from any place where the water commeth, they cover them with mould, beat it hard 

 downevvith their breaft, and fo pat it finooth, and in the night time fit upon them: they couvie 

 a whole yeere before they hatch. Some fay, that the looking wiflly upon their egges with theie 

 E eyes ferveth in ftead of fitting . The female flieth from the male, and will not abide to engen- 

 der, until] dich time as hepriekeher behind and if ickefomcwhat in her taile for running away 

 fromhimfbfafii ' 



The Trogloditcs have among them ccrtaine tortoifes, with broad homes like the peggcs in 

 a Lute orHarpe,and the fame will wagge and ftirrefo^ as in fwimming theyhdpe themfelves 

 therewith, and are guided and direded by them. And this kind of Tortoife is called Celtium ; 

 of exceeding great bigneffe, but rare to bee found and hard to come by: for their exceeding 

 fharpe prickcs like rockes, among which they keepe, fright the Chelonophagi (who dehght to 

 feed upon thein) that they dare not fcarch after them. And the Troglodites,unto whome ibcfc 

 Tortoifes ufe to fwimme, adore them as holy and facred things* 

 F There be alfo land Tortoifes (called thereupon in the wdrkes that are made of them in pan- ^ 

 nell wife, Cherfin^E) found in the deferts and wildcrneffe of Afftick, and principally in that pan (S> 

 which isdrie and full of fands: and they are thought to live upon nothing els but the moilf dew. 

 And in very iruth^ no other living creature there breedeth befides them. 



Y 



Chap, 



