The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Natural History of Pliny, Volume VI., by Pliny the Elder.

288 “Pectines.” See B. ix. cc. 51, 52, 68, 74, 112.

289 Athenæus adds a fourth name, “solen;” and a fifth was “dactylus,” see B. ix. c. 87. According to Dalechamps, the name “donax” was given to one kind of scallop, from its fancied resemblance to a thick, hollow, river-reed, and that of “onyx” from the resemblance of its colour to that of the finger-nails.

290 It is not improbable that he may mean the same animal that has been mentioned in cc. 19 and 26 of this Book, the Enhydris. See also B. xxx. c. 8.

291 See B. xxix. c. 22.

292 See B. ix. cc. 17, 25, 75.

293 See B. ix. c. 42, and Chapter 27 of this Book.

294 See B. ix. cc. 18, 19, and Chapter 53 of this Book.

295 Salted tunny. See B. ix. c. 18.

296 See B. ix. cc. 24, 48, 74, 75.

298 See B. ix. cc. 24, 32.

299 See B. ix. c. 24.

300 See Chapters 23, 24, 30, 32, and 53 of the present Book. Also B. xx. c. 53.

301 See B. ix. c. 42.

302 “Perca.” See B. ix. c. 24.

303 See Note 294 above.

304 See B. ix. c. 14.

305 In B. ix. c. 14.

306 Ajasson remarks that many writers have identified the Smaris with the Sardine or the Anchovy. In his opinion, however, it is neither; but he thinks that under this head were included seven or eight varieties of the Pickerel, the principal of which are, the Sparus smaris of Linnæus and Lacépède, the Sparus mana of Linnæus, or Sparus mendola of Lacépède, and the Sparus haffara of Lacépède and Linnæus.

307 See Chapter 22 of the present Book.

308 See B. ix. c. 1.

309 Literally, the “little serpent.” Some think that it is the Ophidium barbatum of Linnæus. Rondelet identifies it, B. xiv. c. 2, with the small fish called donzella by the people of Montpellier. See c. 31, Note 256.

310 See B. xxx. c. 22.

311 See B. xiv. c. 8.

312 “Rubetæ.” See c. 18 of this Book; also B. viii. c. 48; B. xi. cc. 19, 76, 116, and B. xxv. c. 76.

313 See B. ix. c. 72; B. xxv. c. 77, and Chapter 3 of this Book.

314 Or seal-skin. See B. viii. c. 49, and B. ix. c. 15.

315 In B. xxvii. c. 33.

316 In B. xxvi. c. 66.

317 Or “sea-lungs.” See B. ix. c. 71, B. xviii. c. 5, and Chapters 32, 46, and 52 of the present Book. Ajasson remarks that this is still the common name of many kinds of Medusæ.

319 See B. ix. cc. 17, 25, 75.

320 “Mituli.” See Chapter 31 of the present Book.

321 In B. viii. c. 49.

322 See Note 314 above.

323 See Chapter 13 of the present Book.

324 See B. ix. c. 29.

325 See B. ix. cc. 35, 76.

326 See B. ix. c. 1.

327 See B. ix. c. 28.

328 See B. ix. c. 24.

329 “Ablatis unguibus.”

332 Because the nightingale sings at night, instead of sleeping.

333 See B. ix. cc. 2, 5, 6, 7, 15.

335 “Spondylus.”

336 See Chapter 29 of this Book.

337 See Chapters 30 and 31 of the present Book.

338 See B. xviii. c. 19.

339 “Crebriore anhelitu.”

340 See B. ix. cc. 17, 25, 75.

341 Or sting-ray. See B. ix. cc. 37, 40, 67, 72.

342 Ichthyocolla. See Chapter 24 of this Book.

343 See Chapter 13 of this Book.

344 See B. ix. c. 30.

345 See B. ix. c. 46.

346 This seems to be the meaning of “naturâ dissidente,” if it is the correct reading. That, however, suggested by Dalechamps would seem to be preferable, “naturâ retinente,”—“it being the nature of its flesh to cling to the knife.”

347 See Chapter 24 of this Book.

349 “Bloodsuckers.”

350 “Cucurbitæ medicinales.”

351 This does not appear to be considered the case at the present day.

352 A method still employed.

353 See B. x. c. 27.

354 “Invehunt virus remedio verso.” The reading is probably corrupt, but the meaning is pretty evident.

355 See B. xxix. c. 17, and c. 47 of this Book.

356 See B. ix. cc. 17, 25, 75.

357 See B. ix. c. 17. Ajasson says that it is also found of enormous size, in the Danube and in the Theisse.

358 See B. xxxiv. c. 33.

359 See B. ix. c. 42.

360 See Note 356 above.

361 “Cunila capitata.” See B. xx. c. 65.

362 See B. xxxiv. c. 55.

363 Tunny sliced and salted; see B. ix. c. 18.

364 See B. xxxi. c. 44.

365 See B. ix. cc. 24, 32.

366 See B. ix. c. 30.

367 See B. ix. c. 67.

368 See Note 359 above.

370 Ajasson thinks that the ancients knew but one kind of sea-scorpion, but in different states, the Cottus scorpius, probably, of Linnæus.

371 See Chapter 34 of this Book.

372 See Note 364 above.

373 See Note 359 above.

374 This fish has not been identified. It is possible, however, that it may be the same as the “glaucus” mentioned in B ix. c. 25.

375 See Note 371 above.

376 See B. xxvi. c. 92.

377 See B. ix. cc. 14, 40, 67.

378 An asserted remedy, founded, as Ajasson remarks, upon nothing but a pun, the resemblance between δελφὶς, a “dolphin,” and δελφὺς, the “womb.”

379 See Chapters 29 and 39 of this Book.

380 See B. ix. c. 42.

381 See B. xx. c. 65.

382 In other words, seal-oil.

383 Or sea-lungs. See Chapter 36 of this Book.

385 See B. ix. c. 17; also Chapter 43 of this Book.

386 Meaning Egypt, probably; see the passages referred to in the preceding note.

387 De Morb. Mulier. I. 128.

388 We would adopt the suggestion of M. Ian, and read “quinis cum,” in preference to “cum quinis;” “fire crabs with roots of lapathum and rue.”

389 See B. xx. c. 85.

390 See Chapter 13 of the present Book.

391 See B. xii. c. 57.

392 See B. ix. cc. 24, 48, 74, 75.

393 Or sting-ray. See B. ix. c. 72.

394 The callosity is here meant, Hardouin supposes, which covers the purple in the shell. See Chapter 41 of this Book.

395 “Salis flore.” See B. xxxi. c. 42.

396 “Cedrium.” See B. xvi. c. 21, and B. xxiv. c. 11.

397 See end of B. xxviii.

398 Or “sea-lungs.” See Chapter 36 of this Book.

399 See B. ix. c. 67.

400 See B. ix. c. 68.

401 See Note 392 above.

402 In Chapter 24 of this Book.

403 See the preceding Note.

404 See Chapter 42 of this Book.

405 In the case of infants, probably.

406 “Canicula.” See B. ix. cc. 11, 70.

407 Or “crawfish.”

408 “Crebro humefacto” seems a preferable reading to “cerebro humefacto” though supported by the Bamberg MS.

409 See B. xxii. c. 29, and B. xxx. c. 47.

410 See B. ix. c. 30.

411 Identified with the “erythinus” of B. ix. c. 23, and mentioned in the next Chapter.

412 See B. ix. c. 1.

413 Or Remora. See B. ix. c. 41.

414 See B. viii. c. 39.

415 See Note 392 above.

416 See B. ix. c. 23.

417 See Chapter 24 of this Book.

418 See B. ix. c. 1.

419 “Rubeta.” See B. viii. c. 48, B. xi. cc. 19, 76, 116, B. xxv. c. 76, and c. 18 of this Book.

420 See B. xv. c. 36, and B. xx. c. 22.

421 “Remedies for lassitude.” See B. xxiii. cc. 45, 80; B. xxvii. c. 13, and B. xxix. cc. 13, 37.

422 See B. xvi. c. 66, and B. xxiv. c. 50.

423 See B. xvi. c. 66, and B. xxiv. c. 50.

424 See B. xxiv. c. 50.

425 See B. ix. cc. 20, 44, 74, 78.

426 “Ablato priore lumine.” Hardouin justly ridicules this assertion. This ink, as Ajasson remarks, is intensely black.

427 See B. ix. c. 71, and Chapter 36 of this Book.

428 This seems to be the meaning of “adeo ut baculum ita præluceat.”

429 Some MSS. have here “164,” the Bamberg MS. and others “144.” Owing to the corrupt state of the text in many parts of this Chapter, it is impossible to say which reading is correct.

430 “Invenire non potuimus” seems a preferable reading to “invenire potuimus.”

431 Modern Ceylon. See B. vi. cc. 23, 24, B. vii. c. 2, and B. ix. c. 54.

432 “Quæ nascuntur certa sunt.” A bold assertion. The various fishes now known amount to many thousands; and there are still vast numbers, no doubt, with which science has not hitherto become acquainted.

434 He may possibly allude to the plants mentioned in B. xiii. cc. 48, 49, 50, 51, and 52; though Hardouin seems to think it impossible to discover what he means, seeing that he is speaking of sea-monsters, beings with animal life. See also B. ix. c. 3.

435 See B. ix. c. 3.

436 See B. ix. cc. 2, 5.

437 See B. ix. c. 3; probably the same as the “pristis” of B. ix. c. 2.