The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-15
ANCIENTS AND ANIMALS.
Fantastic Natural History OF the
Greeks and Rornans.


The knowledge of animals and their
habits which existed among the an
Gent Greeks and Romans was most
fantastic.
Among other snakes described in the
ancient natural histories, for example,
was the basilisk. which Pliny called
the king of serpents." According to
the description, it was six feet long,
wore a white crest on its head and had
q skin spotted with white. Such was
the abundance OF its venom, according
to these reports, that it made the body
shine all over. The air was poisoned
where this vile reptile passed, and
great plants were envenomed with its
subtle and luminous fluid while the
birds in turn fell before the odor ex-
hailed by the trees. But this monster
was an easy prey TO the weasel The
dragon was the largest of serpents and
inhabited especially Ethiopia and
Egypt. When he flew out of his cav
ern he furrowed the air with such yio-
lence that it cleaned with fire. His
mouth was small. and it was not the
wounds which it inflicted which made
him so formidable. but the strangling
power of his tail. which was capable Of
destroying even elephants.
1t is interesting to notice that the
mythical drag on was already evolving
toward the boa constructor. The real
siren lived in Arabia and was a sort
of white serpent which ran so marvel
ously that most men say it few"
Most of the facts which are recorded
concerning birds are more accurate,
for the sport of falconry only made
men observers of their habits. Still
there are a few strange myths concern
ing the eagle. He was said to seize his
young in his taions and to make them
fix their eyes on the burning rays of
the sun. Those alone that could gaze
without finching were kept and nour-
ished as worthy of life. This is not
cruelty" says the simple writer, but
judgment" The eagle had the power
of renewing youth. Mounting higher
and higher till his plumes We're burned
by the sun, he fell into a fountain,
where he bathed three times and was
thoroughly rejuvenated.
The habits Of the ostrich an old book
said, were regulated by a star named
IL xii w HGu Tie Sidl pcSatA " liSC Tic
astute bird laid its eggs, covered them
with sand and left their Matching to
the sun. Another remarkable thing
was the influence which the chanticleer
exercised over the king of beasts. His
shrill crow put him in full fight-eyen
Pliny says so-but to do this his plum
age had to be pure white.
1t would not be doing justice to the
middle ages if the account of the uni
corn was withheld 1t was the size Of
horse, though it's legs were shorter,
and its hide mad generally a tanned col
or. There were three kinds. The mag
nificent white unicorn had a purple
head and blue eyes. The horn was a
cubit in length, white In the lower part.
ebony in the middle and red at the
end. 1t had the head Of a stag and the
tail of boar The eglisserion was like
a gigantic deer and had Il very sharp
horn. The monoceros was like an OK
The ordinary unicorn OF the middle
ages had horn three feet in length
and so sharp and hard that nothing
could resist it. When he prepared to
fight the elephant, the animal he hated
most of all, he sharpened his horn
against a stone and when the day of
battle came dealt the enemy a fatal
blow in the paunch. This noble animal
fell an easy prey to the destinations OF
innocence and virtue. In India, espe-
cially among the jewellers of the Gan
ges, when it was desired to tame
unicorn young and virtuous girl was
chosen and led to his cave. The animal
at once appeared and did homage to
the damsel and was easily caught and
tanned by the engaging wiles of the
maiden.