To the above enumeration we will add some names given in the poem of Ovid,612 which are not to be found in any other writer: species, however, which are probably peculiar to the Euxine, on the shores613 of which he commenced that work towards the close of his life. The fishes thus mentioned by him are the sea-ox, the cercyrus, that dwells among the rocks, the orphus,614 the red erythinus,615 the iulus,616 the tinted mormyr, the chrysophrys617 a fish of a golden colour, the parus,618 the tragus,619 the melanurus620 remarkable for the beauty of its tail, and the epodes,621 a flat fish.

In addition to these remarkable kinds of fishes, the same poet tells us that the channes622 conceives of itself, that the glaucus623 never makes its appearance in summer, that the pompilus624 always accompanies vessels in their course, and that the chromis625 makes its nest in the water. The helops, he says, is unknown to our waters; from which it would appear that those are in error who look upon it as identical with our acipenser.626 Many persons have given the preference to the helops before all other fish, in point of flavour.

There are several fishes also, which have been mentioned by no author; such, for instance, as the one called “sudis” by the Latins, and “sphyrene” by the Greeks, names which indicate the peculiar form of its muzzle.627 It is one of the very largest kinds, but rarely found, and by no means of inferior flavour. “Perna,” too, is the name given to a kind of shell-fish, found in vast numbers in the vicinity of the islands of the Euxine. These fish are found firmly planted in the sand, resembling in appearance the long shank628 of a hog. Opening wide their shells, where there is sufficient space, they lie in wait for their prey; this opening being not less than a foot in breadth, and the edges of it garnished around with teeth closely set, much resembling the teeth of a comb in form. Within the shell, the meat consists of a vast lump of flesh. I once saw, too, a fish called the “hyæna,”629 which had been caught off the island of Ænaria.630

In addition to these animals, there are certain excretions thrown up by the sea, which do not merit any further notice, and indeed ought to be reckoned among the sea-weeds, rather than looked upon as animated beings.

Summary.—Remedies, narratives, and observations, nine hundred and ninety.

Roman Authors quoted.—Licinius Macer,631 Trebius Niger,632 Sextius Niger633 who wrote in Greek, the Poet Ovid,634 Cassius Hemina,635 Mæcenas,636 Iacchus,637 Sornatius.638

Foreign Authors quoted.—Juba,639 Andreas,640 Salpe,641 Apion,642 Pelops,643 Apelles,644 Thrasyllus,645 Nicander.646