Chap. 93.] 
ANIMALS WHICH LITE UPON EARTH. 
549 
gradually encircle the egg with its coils, and hold it so tight as 
to break it at the end, just, in fact, as though a piece had been 
cut out with a knife ; Jbhen holding the remaining part in its 
folds, it will suck the contents. In the same manner, too, 
when it has swallowed a bird whole, it will make a violent eifort, 
and vomit the feathers. 
CHIP. 93. ANIMALS WHICH LIVE ON EAETH — ANIMALS WHICH 
WILL NOT DIE OF HUNGER OR THIRST. 
Scorpions live on earth. Serpents, when an opportunity 
presents itself, show an especial liking for wine, although in 
other respects they need but very little drink. These animals, 
also, when kept shut up, require but little aliment, hardly any 
at all, in fact. The same is the case also with spiders, which at 
other times live by suction. Hence it is, that no venomous 
animal will die of hunger or thirst ; it being the fact that they 
have neither heat, blood, nor sweat; all which humours, 
from their natural saltness, increase the animal's voracity. In 
this class of animals all those are the most deadly, which 
have eaten some of their own kind just before they inflict the 
wound. The sphingium and the satyr^* stow away food in the 
pouches of their cheeks, after which they will take it out piece 
by piece with their hands and eat it ; and thus they do for a 
day or an hour what the ant usually does^^ for the whole year. 
(73.) The only animal with toes upon the feet that feeds 
upon grass is the hare, which will eat corn as well ; while 
the solid-hoofed animals, and the swine among the cloven- 
footed ones, will eat all kinds of food, as well as roots. To 
roll over and over is a peculiarity of the animals with a solid 
hoof. All those which have serrated teeth are carnivorous, 
Eears live also upon corn, leaves, grapes, fruit, bees, crabs even, 
and ants ; wolves, as we have already stated, will eat earth 
even when they are famishing. Cattle grow fat by drinking ; 
hence it is that salt agrees with them so well ; the same is also 
the case with beasts of burden, although they live on corn as 
well as grass ; but they eat just in proportion to what they 
drink. In addition to those' already spoken of, among the 
wild animals, stags ruminate, when reared in a domesticated 
state. All animals ruminate lying in preference to standing, 
As to these monkies, see B. xviii. c. 30, and c. 80. 
5^ /. e, lay by a store. B. viii. c. 34. 
