Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-08-30
ANCIENTS AND ANIMALS.
Fantastic Natural History Of the
Greeks and Romans.


The knowledge Of animals and theii
habits which existed among the an
cient Greeks and Romans was most
fantastic.
Among other snakes described In
the ancient natural histories, for ex'
ample, was the basilisk, which Pliny
called the "king Of serpents." Accord
ing to the description, 1t was six fee,
long, wore a white crest on its head
and had a skin spotted with white
Such was the abundance OF its venom
according to these reports, that II
made the body shine all over. The all
was poisoned where this vile reptile
passed, and great plants were enven-
omed with it's subtle and luminous
fluid while the birds In turn fell be-
fore the odor exhaled by the trees
But this monster was an easy prey to
the weasel. The dragon was the larg-
est Of serpents and inhabited especial
ly Ethiopia and Egypt When he flew
out Of his cavern he furrowed the all
with such violence that it CLEANED
with fire. His mouth was small, and
II was not the wounds which 1t inflict-
ed which made him so formidable, bu
the strangling power of his tail, which
was capable of destroying even ele'
plants.
It is interesting to notice that the
mythical dragon was already evolving
toward the boa constructor. The rea
siren lived in Arabia and was a sor'
Of white serpent which ran so marvel.
ously that most men say it fiew."
Most of the facts which are record
ed concerning birds are more accurate
for the sport Of falconry only made
men observers Of their habits. Still
there are a few strange myths con.
cerning the eagle. He was said tc
seize his young in his talons and tc
make them fix their eyes on the burn
ing rays of the sun. Those alone tha
could gaze without fiinching were KEEP
and nourished as worthy Of life. "Thi!
is not cruelty" says the simple writer
"but judgment" The eagle had the
power Of renewing youth. Mounting
higher and higher till his plumes were
burned by the sun, he fell into foun
tain, where he bathed three times anc
was thoroughly rejuvenated.
The habits Of the ostrich. an ole
book said, were regulated by a sta1
named Virgil When the star begar
to rise the astute bird laid its eggs
covered them with sand and left thei1
Matching to the sun. Another re
markable thing was the influence
which the chanticleer exercised oVel
the king Of beasts. His shrill CROW
put him in full fight-even Pliny say
so-but to do this his plumage hac
to be pure white.
1t would not be doing justice to th'
middle ages If the account of the uni
corn was withheld. 1t was the size o
horse though its legs were shorter
and its hide had generally a tanned
color. There were three kinds. Th'
magnificent white unicorn had a pur
pie head and blue eyes. The horl
was a cubit in length, white In th'
lower part, ebony in the middle ant
red at the end. 1t had the head OF
stag and the tail Of boar. The eglis
serion was like a gigantic deer and hat
very sharp horn. The monocero
was like an OK. The ordinary unicorn
of the middle ages had horn three
| feet in length and so sharp that noth
ing could resist 1t. When he prepared
to fight the elephant, the animal n
hated most of all, he sharpened hi
horn against a stone and when the da.
of battle came dealt the animal IA
tai blow in the paunch. This nobl
animal fell an easy prey to the fasci
nations Of innocence and virtue. II
India. especially among the dweller
of the Ganges. when it was desired L
tame a unicorn, young and virtuou
girl was chosen and led to his cave
The animal at once appeared and di'
homage to the damsel and was eaSil,
caught and tanned by the engagini
wiles of the maiden.
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