Plinies Naturdl Hiftorie. 345 



^ flrikc fircjas it were an hard flint. The Marrow is hard in them that gather no greafcj but rathes: 



tallow. , , 



Thebonesof Afle legs are good to found fhrill, and to make pipes of. Dolphins have verle ^onesand 

 bones^and not prickle chines : for they bring foorth their young alivc.Serpents have onely pric- ^f^^^^^- 

 kie ridges . Filhes that be (oft have no bones: but their bodie is bound with certainehoopes or 

 circles of flefli, as the Cuttill and the Galamarie. Neither have Infects any bones at all . Thofe 

 fi(hes which be notfoft,but griftlyjhave a kind of marrow in their ridge bonCiScaleshave griftk^ 

 and no bone.The cares and nofethrils of all creatures^if they beare up but a litilejhave afoft ten- 

 der griftle apt to bend and wind :fiich is the goodnefle of Nature, providing that they fhould 

 not breake. A griftle if it be broken jwill not clofe together and be found. Neither will bones^ if 

 B ought be cut from them^grow again: unlefle it be in hories and fuch beafts of cariage^and name- 

 ]y,betweenc the houfe and the pafternes. 



A man Groweth in heigth and length untill he be one and twentic yeares of age : then be- GroiPFth, 

 ginneth he tofpread and burnifhin fquareneffe. As well men as women-kindjChute up moft and ^ 

 undoc the knot that hindered their growthjwhen they are come to foucteene yeares of age^ 

 and be undergrowne : and moft is this feenCjif fome ficknefle happen about thattime. 



As for the Sinewes^Ligaments^and Cords, which take their beginning at the heart^becovc- sincn>s,Cordsi 

 red (as it were) with a ccrtaine white and glutinous fubftance; and the like caufc and nature they: Ligaments, 

 have. Thefe inallbodiesjaretied to the flipperie bones :theknittings of the bones together, 

 which be called joints, theyfaftenand bind together, fomebycommingbetwcene, others by; 

 C clafpingroundabout, and others againe, by palling crofTe over: in one place they bee twined 

 round,in another broadjaccording as the figure of each part doth require. Be they cut atwo, as 

 they cannot knit againe/o they put a man to no paine : pricke or wound them^a wonder to fee, 

 whatexcremitieof paine will thereupon enfue. Some creatures be without nerves and flnewes,: 

 as namely fillies, for they ftand much upon Arteries : and yet yc lliail have neither the; one nor 

 the other in foft fifhes. Look where there be Sinewes,CordSjand LigamentSjthofe that he more 

 inward and underneath,ftretch out the part and give libcrtie : wheras the uppermoft that lie aver 

 them, draw the fame in as much. 



Among thefe are hidden the Arteries, that is to fay, the paflages of the fpirit and life. And Vdnes And 

 over them ride the Veines,cven the very conduits and channels that carie the bloud. The Pulfe dmies, 

 D or beating of Arteries, is moft evident in the.extremities or ends of any members j and for the 

 moft partbewraieth hidden dileafes. Herophilm that renowmedPoet and interpreter of Phyfick, 

 hath with niarvellous skill reduced the order thereof into an art: he hath fet downe mofl artifi- 

 cially, the certaine meafures and times, the compafie, the menicall iawes thereof, according to 

 every age : when they iltike even and fteadicjwhen toofaftjwhen too flow.But the skill hercofis 

 little exercifedjand his invention in that bchalfe negleded : becaufe it feemed overwittie, fub- 

 tile,and curious. HowbeiCjthe obfervation of the ftiokes,either comming thicke and h^oi flow 

 and foftly^giveth a great light to judge of th e ftrength of Naturc,that governeth our life. Arte- 

 ries want fence,and no marvel!, for they be without bloud.Neithcr doe they all containe within 

 them vitall ipirit. For there have beene knowne fome of themcut in twainCjand yet that part of 

 E the bodie only is mortificd,which received the offence. Birds have neither Veines nor Arteries^ 

 Likewiie,Serpents,Tortoi(es,andLizards,havebut very little bloud.The Veines dilperfedat the: 

 lait into moft fine and finall threadie fibres under all the skin,grow at the length to be fo (lender 

 that the bloud cannot polTibly pafle through them, nor any thing elie : fave a thin humour or 

 moifture, which through infinite finall pores of the skin doth breath forth, and ftandcth there 

 like a dew, and is called Sweat. The place where ail the Veines doe meet in a round knot togc- 

 ther,istheNavell4 



Chap, xxxviii. 



of Bloud^ (IS mil that which foonefl mxtth drie^ds that which tvill not thicken at alL 

 ^ A/fo^ which IS the groffefi bloud^<ind heaviefl, which the lightefl artd thinmfi : 



avd lajt ofallywhat creatures living have no bloud at alL 



'TTHoie that have much bloud^ and the fame fat and groffcjarc angrie and chollerickc. The 

 "* bloud of males is commonly blacker than that of females : yea, and more in youth than in 



old 



