Chap. 41.] MEDICIKAL REMEDIES OF AOTx\tALS. 293 
has been contracted by the cold of winter, throws it off in the 
spring by the aid of the juices of fennel/^ and thus becomes 
sleek and youthful in appearance. First of all, it disengages 
the head, and it then takes no less than a day and a night in 
working itself out, and divesting itself of the membrane in 
which it has been enclosed. The same animal, too, on finding 
its sight weakened during its winter retreat, anoints and re- 
freshes its eyes by rubbing itself on the plant called fennel or 
marathrum ; but if any of the scales are slow in coming off,^* it 
rubs itself against the thorns of the juniper. The dragon re- 
lieves the nausea which affects it in spring, with the juices of 
the lettuce. The barbarous nations go to hunt the panther, 
provided with meat that has been rubbed with aconite, 
which is a poison. Immediately on eating it, compression 
of the throat overtakes them, from which circumstance it is, 
that the plant has received the name of pardalianches.^'^ The 
animal, however, has found an antidote against this poison in 
human excrements ; besides which, it is so eager to get at 
them, that the shepherds purposely suspend them in a vessel, 
placed so high, that the animal cannot reach them even by 
leaping, when it endeavours to get at them ; accordingly, it 
continues to leap until it has quite exhausted itself, and at last 
expires ; otherwise, it is so tenacious of life, that it will con- 
13 Pliny refers to this effect, B. xx. c. 95 ; he speaks also of its applica- 
tion to the eyes of the animal ; it is probable, that feniculum and mara- 
thrum both refer to the same plant; the latter being the ordinary Greek, 
and the former tlje Latin, name. This effect of the feniculum is also 
mentioned by ^lian, B. ix. c. 16. — B. 
1^ "Si vero squamaB obtorpuere Hardouin supposes that this applies 
♦ particularly to the eyes.— B. There can be httle doubt that he is correct 
in that supposition. 
1^ Aristotle, ubi supra^ and -^lian, Anim. Nat. B. yi. c. 4, state that the 
dragon takes the juice of picris into the stomach, when overloaded with 
food. The exact plant referred to, under that name, cannot be ascertained 
for certain ; but it appears probable, that it is a wild lettuce or endive, or 
some plant belonging to that family, — B. 
1^ This effect of aconite, and the antidote for it, are mentioned in B. 
xxvii. c. 2 ; they are also mentioned by Aristotle, ubi supra ; and by^lian, 
Anim. Nat. B. iv. c. 49, and alluded to by Cicero, De. Nat. Deor. B. ii. 
c. 50. It appears from a statement of Tavernier, as referred to by 
Hardouin, that the same antidote against poisoned weapons is still em- 
ployed in the island of Java. — B. 
From the Greek napdaXiayxvQy " pard-strangle." 
