Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/250

 214 Correspondence.

case, the figure seems to have only one horn. Can anyone refer me to any ancient representation of an Antelope showing, in an unmistakable manner, one horn only?

(s) "All horned animals are quadrupeds, unless metaphori- cally, and for want of a suitable word, an animal may be said to be horned, just as the Egyptians say that, near Thebes, there are Snakes with projections which take the place of horns" (II. c. 2, s. ii). The last part of this passage appears to have been taken from Herodot. II. c. 74, who says, however, that the Theban sacred Snakes are small, and do not injure men. Aristotle's passage, as it stands, might refer to the Horned Viper or Cerastes, but, since the Cerastes is by no means harmless, this Snake, in its natural condition, cannot be identified with the Horned Snake of Herodotus, who seems to be Aristotle's authority. To what harmless horned Snake of small size could Herodotus refer? With reference to "horned Snakes," I may say that I have read the very interesting report from Larnaca in Folk-Lore, vol. xi, pp. 1 21-125, and the comment thereon, p. 321.

(6) Aristotle also refers, in II. c. 2, s. 10, and several other passages, to the presence of knuckle-bones, or astragali, in various animals, and makes particular reference to their elegance of form, or their ugliness, as the case may be. I should be glad of any information about the question of divination, in classical times, by means of astragali.

(7) "... the Eel is neither male nor female, nor is anything

produced from it. Those who assert that, at times, some Eels seem to have hair-like and worm-like bodies attached to them, without saying how they are situated, speak inconsiderately" {IV. c. 11, ss. 2 and 3). Again, "It is plain, therefore, that Eels do not reproduce sexually. To some people they seem to reproduce sexually, because, in some Eels, worms are found which these persons think give rise to Eels. This is not true, but Eels are produced from the so-called ' entrails of the earth,' which are formed spontaneously in mud and moist earth" (VI. c. 15, ss. I and 2).