Chap, 30.] EEMEDIES DERIVED THaM CANTHAEIDES. 403 
a liniment for injuries inflicted by the scorpion. Some persons 
boil down the oil with litharge, and make a sort of plaster of 
it to apply to the wound. The Greeks give the name of 
colotes" to this lizard, as also ascalabotes," and galeotes 
it is never^'' found in Italy, and is covered with small spots, 
Titters a shrill, piercing noise, and lives on food ; characteristics, 
all of them, foreign to the stellio of Italy. 
CHAP. 29. KEMEDIES DEKIVED PROM VARIOUS INSECTS. 
Poultry dung, too, is good as an application for the sting of 
the scorpion ; a dragon's liver also ; a lizard or mouse split 
asunder ; or else the scorpion itself, either applied to the wound, 
grilled and eaten, or taken in two cyathi of undiluted wine. 
One peculiarity of the scorpion is, that it never stings the 
palm of the hand, and never touches any parts of the body but 
those covered with hair. Any kind of pebble, applied to the wound 
on the side which has lain next to the ground, will alleviate the 
pain. A potsherd too, covered with earth on any part of it, and 
applied just as it is found, will effect a cure, it is said — the 
person, however, who applies it must not look behind him, 
and must be equally careful that the sun does not shine upon 
him. Earth-worms also, are pounded and applied to the 
wound; in addition to which, they form ingredients in numerous 
other medicaments, being kept in honey for the purpose. 
Eor injuries inflicted by bees, wasps, hornets, and leeches, 
the owlet is considered a very useful remedy ; persons, too, who 
carry about them the beak of the woodpecker^^ of Mars are 
never injured by any of these creatures. The smaller kinds 
of locusts also, destitute of wings and known as attelebi," 
are a good remedy for the sting of the scorpion. 
There is a kind of venomous ant, by no means common in 
Italy ; Cicero calls it solipuga," and in Baetica it is known 
as " salpuga.''^^ The proper remedy far its venom and that 
of all kinds of ants is a bat's heart. "We have already^ stated 
that cantharides are an antidote to the salamander. 
CHAP. 30. REMEDIES DERIVED FROM CANTHARIDES. 
But with reference to cantharides, there has been considerable 
This is probably an error ; see the Note to B. xi. c. 31. 
58 See B. X. cc. 18, 41, 44, and 50. 
5^ See B. viii. c. 43. Ajasson remarks that this is a mere fabulous story,^ 
in reference to the Yenom of the ants. In B. xxix. c. 23, 
D D 2 
