548 
pliny's j^atcjeal histoey. 
[Book X. 
water in a ship's hold, and more especially npon scenting the 
blood of fish. 
The polypus cannot possibly be torn away from the rock to 
which it clings ; but upon the herb cunila^^ being applied, the 
instant it smells it the fish quits its hold. Purples also are 
taken by means of fetid substances. And then, too, as to the 
other kinds of animals, who is there that can feel any doubt ? 
Serpents are driven away by the smell of harts^ horns, and 
more particularly by that of storax. Ants, too, are killed by 
the odours of origanum, lime, or sulphur. Gnats are attracted 
by acids, but not by anything sweet. 
(71.) All animals have the sense of touch, those even which 
have no other sense ; for even in the oyster, and, among land 
animals, in the worm, this sense is found. 
CHAP. 91. niVEESITIES IN THE FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 
I am strongly inclined to believe, too, that the sense of taste 
exists in ail animals ; for why else should one seek one kind 
of food, and another another ? And it is in this more especially 
til at is to be seen the wondrous power of Nature, the framer of 
ail things. Some animals seize their prey with their teeth, 
others, again, with their claws ; some tear it to pieces with their 
hooked beak ; others, that have a broad bill, wabble in their 
food ; others, with a sharp nib, work holes into it ; others suck 
at their food; others, again, lick it, others sup it in, others chew 
it, and others bolt it whole. And no less a diversity is there 
in the uses they make of their feet, for the purpose of carrying, 
teariug asunder, holding, squeezing, suspending their bodies, 
or incessantly scratching the ground. 
CHAP. 92. (72.) ANIMALS WHICH LIVE ON POISONS. 
Eoe-bucks and quails grow fat on poisons, as we have al- 
ready mentioned, being themselves the most harmless of ani- 
mals. Serpents will feed on eggs, and the address displayed 
by the dragon is quite remarkable. — For it will either swallow 
the egg whole, if its jaws will allow of it, and roll over and 
over so as to break it within, and then by coughing eject the 
shells : or else, if it is too young to be able to do so, it will 
A species of origanum. 
^2 As in the case of the galguhis, mentioned in c. 50. 
^ See c. o3 of the present fiook, as to quails. 
