MEMOIR OP PLINY. 
61 
like dogges. Eastward about the sources of the 
river Ganges, there is a nation called the Astomes, 
for that they haue no niouthes; no meat nor drinke 
they take, hut liue only hy the aire, and smelling of 
sweet odours, which they draw in at their nosliills. 
Higher up above these, the Pygmati are reported to he; 
called they are so, for that they are hut a cubit high, 
that is to say, three times nine inches; and these prety 
people Homer hath reported to be much troubled 
and anoied by cranes. The speech goeth, that in 
spring time they set out all of them in battell aray, 
mounted vpon the backe of rammes and goats, 
armed with bowes and an'owcs, and so downe to the 
sea-side they march, where they make foule worke 
among the egges and young cranelings newly hatched, 
which they destroy without all pitty. Thus, for three 
months tlieir journey and expedition contineueth, 
and then they make an end of their valiant seruice.” 
After relating various other prodigies of men eight 
cubits high, others without shadows, some “ without 
vermine in their heads or cloths, because they feed 
on viper’s flesh ; and others with long shagged tailes, 
most swift in footmanship, whose eares covered their 
whole body ;” he thus winds up his catalogue of hu- 
man monstrosities : “ See how Nature is disposed for 
the nons to diuise full wittily in this and such like pas- 
times to play with mankinde, thereby not only to make 
herself merry, but set vs a wondering at such strange 
miracles.” We shall pass by his specimens of mon- 
strous births, hippocentaurs, twins, triplets, change- 
