Plinies Naturall Hiftoriei 



A 



Chap* ixxii, 

 ^ What creatures live of f ojforj^and what of earth, 



ROe Buckes and Does^yeajand Quailes(as wee have faid before) will feed fat with 'poyfons, 

 and yet they are the moft meeke and gentle creatures living. Serpents have a great dcfirc 

 and love to cgges : wherein the fubtiltie of Dragons jis worthie to bee confidered. For ei- 

 ther they fwallow them downe whole (if their throat will receive them)and after they bee within 

 their bodie, breake and fquizc them in peeces with rolling and winding themfelves roundtoge- 

 thcr^and then cafl up the fliels againe : or if they bee but young ones yet^and not fo ftrong as to 

 B gobble up whole egges^then they will wind about an egge with their taile by little and little.and 

 bind it fo hard, that they will cut off the crowne of it^as it were with a knife, and then fup of the 

 reft which they clafpe and hold faftbetweene. In like manner deale they with birds. For fwallow 

 they will them whole down thegulletjand afterwards ftraine and ftrugglefo wichthemielvesjun- 

 till they difgorge againe the feathers and bones that were in their bellies. 



Scorpions feed upon earth. And Serpents againe, if they may come handfomely to wine, 

 will make raeanes to drinke their fill of it, howfoeverotherwile they have but little need of anie 

 drinke.They eat no meat at all,or very little, when they be kept clofe within any thing : like as the 

 Spiders alfo, which otherwife naturally live by fucking. And therefore you (ball not lightly fee 

 anic venomous creature to die either of hunger or thiiil.For neither have they (lore of hcat^nor 

 C plentieof bioud,neyetof fweat:all whichnaturallyprovokeaftomacke,andgivean edge to ap- 

 petite. Andamong thefe venomous creatures, thole be evermore daungerous which have eaten 

 lomeof their owne kind, before they bite or fling. Apes, Monkies, and Marmofets beftow and 

 treafure up the meat that is given them^or that they can come by, within their cheekes, as in a 

 ftore houfe. And when they bee hungric, they get the fame forth by little and little wiih their 

 handstand fo fall to chew it.Thus pra6tife they in making their provifion,for to ferve them from 

 day to d3y,and froiii one hourc to another: which Pifmires ufually doc from yeare to yeare. 



Chap, lxxiii, 



^ he meat and drinke of fome matures, 



OF all living creatures that have many toes in their feet,thcHare alone feedcth upon graffe 

 and greene corne in the blade. As for thofe that bee whole hoofed, they live both of the 

 blade,and aifo of the fruit thereof. Alfo of fuch as bee cloven footed. Swine will eat all 

 kind of food,yea,and live of vcrie roots.It is the propertie of whole hoofed beafls alone, to wal- 

 low and turne over and over. All that have teeth endented in like fawes,be naturally devourers of 

 flelli.Bearcs will feed of corne,bA]fe trees, eat grapes, live of apples and other fruits, feed upon 

 bees,creifirnes,and pifiriires. VVolvcs(as we faid before) if they be veric huogrie,cat earth.Sheep 

 feed the better and grow fat,if they may drinke and therfore fait is verie good for thcm,bccau(e 

 it maketh them thirlf ie.Draught bea{ls,and fuch as are ufed to carriage,albeit they live of come 

 E and grafle,yet according to their drinking they doe feed. Befides thofe mentioned heretofore, 

 of wild beafls the red and fallow Deere both;doe chew cud when they be snadetame a;id fed by 

 hand : but all chufe rather in fo doing,to lie than to ibnd, and in winter more than fummer, for 

 feven months ordinarily.The Rats and Mk:e in the countrie of Pontus,namely,Hermins,& fuch 

 like after the fame manner doe chew cud and goe over their meat againe.What beafls (bcvcr arc ^ 

 toothed like fawreeth,lap as they drinke. So do alfo our common Mice and Rats.although they 

 be of another kind^and are notfo toothed. They that have broad teeth, plaine,and uniformCjas 

 horfes and kinc, drinke fupping and taking their full draught.Beares in their drinking do neither 

 the one nor the other,but bite at the water and fo let it downe. In Affricjse the more part of wild 

 beafis dtinke not all Summer long, for want of rainc water : which is the caufe that the Rats and 

 F Mice of Ginnic which be taken, it they drinke afterwards upon fo long difufe,die therewith. In 

 the deferts of Affricke,where thereis no water ever to bee had,there isengendred acertaine wild 

 goat named Oryx,which as by the nature of the place it wanteth drioke,fo it hath in her bodie a 

 fbveraine and fingular remedie againfl droughtand thiril.Which the common ihccvcs & rob- 

 bers by the high way fide in Getulia, knowing well ynough, endure a long time with the hclpc 



thereof 



