§8.12Τροφαῖς μὲν οὖν χρῶνται τὰ γένη τῶν ζῴων ταῖς εἰρημέναις.
The various kinds of animals, then, feed on the foods mentioned above.
Αἱ δὲ πράξεις αὐτῶν ἅπασαι περί τε τὰς ὀχείας καὶ τὰς τεκνώσεις εἰσί, καὶ περὶ τὰς εὐπορίας τῆς τροφῆς, καὶ πρὸς τὰ ψύχη καὶ τὰς ἀλέας πεπορισμέναι, καὶ πρὸς τὰς μεταβολὰς τὰς τῶν ὡρῶν.
All their activities are concerned with copulation and the bringing up of young, the procurement of food, and are directed toward protection against cold and heat, and the changes of the seasons.
Πάντα γὰρ τῆς κατὰ τὸ θερμὸν καὶ ψυχρὸν μεταβολῆς αἴσθησιν ἔχει σύμφυτον, καὶ καθάπερ τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ μὲν εἰς τὰς οἰκίας τοῦ χειμῶνος μεταβάλλουσιν, οἱ δὲ πολλῆς χώρας κρατοῦντες θερίζουσι μὲν ἐν τοῖς ψυχροῖς χειμάζουσι δ’ ἐν τοῖς ἀλεεινοῖς, οὕτω καὶ τῶν ζῴων τὰ δυνάμενα μεταβάλλειν τοὺς τόπους.
For all animals have an innate perception of the change of heat and cold, and just as among men some change their dwellings in winter, and those who possess much land spend the summer in cool places and the winter in warm ones, so do those of the animals which are able to change their places.
Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς συνήθεσι τόποις εὑρίσκεται τὰς βοηθείας, τὰ δ’ ἐκτοπίζει, μετὰ μὲν τὴν φθινοπωρινὴν ἰσημερίαν ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου καὶ τῶν ψυχρῶν τόπων φεύγοντα τὸν ἐπιόντα χειμῶνα, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐαρινὴν ἐκ τῶν θερμῶν εἰς τοὺς τόπους τοὺς ψυχροὺς φοβούμενα τὰ καύματα, τὰ μὲν ἐκ τῶν ἐγγὺς τόπων ποιούμενα τὰς μεταβολάς, τὰ δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐσχάτων ὡς εἰπεῖν, οἷον αἱ γέρανοι ποιοῦσιν·
Some of them find protection in their accustomed places, while others migrate, fleeing after the autumnal equinox from the Pontus and cold places to escape the coming winter, and after the vernal equinox from warm places to cold places, fearing the heat.
μεταβάλλουσι γὰρ ἐκ τῶν Σκυθικῶν πεδίων εἰς τὰ ἕλη τὰ ἄνω τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ὅθεν ὁ Νεῖλος ῥεῖ·
Some make their changes from nearby places, and others even from the extremes, so to speak, as do the cranes; for they change from the Scythian plains to the marshes above Egypt, whence the Nile flows.
οὗ καὶ λέγονται τοῖς Πυγμαίοις ἐπιχειρεῖν· οὐ γάρ ἐστι τοῦτο μῦθος, ἀλλ’ ἔστι κατὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν γένος μικρὸν μέν, ὥσπερ λέγεται, καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ ἵπποι, τρωγλοδύται δ’ εἰσὶ τὸν βίον.
There they are said to attack the Pygmies; for this is no myth, but there is in truth a race of small stature, as is said, both themselves and their horses, and they live as troglodytes.
Καὶ οἱ πελεκᾶνες δ’ ἐκτοπίζουσι, καὶ πέτονται ἀπὸ τοῦ Στρυμόνος ποταμοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἴστρον, κἀκεῖ τεκνοποιοῦνται·
Pelicans also migrate, and fly from the river Strymon to the Ister, and there they breed.
ἀθρόοι δ’ ἀπέρχονται, ἀναμένοντες οἱ πρότεροι τοὺς ὕστερον, διὰ τὸ ὅταν ὑπερπτῶνται τὸ ὄρος ἀδήλους γίνεσθαι τοὺς προτέρους τοῖς ὑστέροις.
They depart in a body, the ones in front waiting for those behind, because when they fly over the mountain, those in front become invisible to those behind.
Καὶ οἱ ἰχθύες δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον οἱ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου καὶ εἰς τὸν Πόντον μεταβάλλουσιν, οἱ δ’ ἐν μὲν τῷ χειμῶνι ἐκ τοῦ πελάγους πρὸς τὴν γῆν, τὴν ἀλέαν διώκοντες, ἐν δὲ τῷ θέρει ἐκ τῶν προσγείων εἰς τὸ πέλαγος, φεύγοντες τὴν ἀλέαν.
Fish also in the same manner change, some out of the Pontus and into the Pontus, others in winter from the deep sea toward the land, seeking warmth, and in summer from near the land to the deep sea, fleeing the warmth.
Καὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ δὲ τῶν ὀρνέων ἐν μὲν τῷ χειμῶνι καὶ τοῖς πάγοις εἰς τὰ πεδία καταβαίνουσι διὰ τὴν ἀλέαν, ἐν δὲ τῷ θέρει ἀποχωροῦσιν εἰς τὰ ὄρη ἄνω διὰ τὰ καύματα.
The weak among birds also in winter and times of frost descend to the plains for warmth, and in summer depart to the mountains above because of the heat.
Ποιεῖται δ’ ἀεὶ τὰ ἀσθενέστερα πρῶτα τὴν μετάστασιν καθ’ ἑκατέραν τὴν ὑπερβολήν, οἷον οἱ μὲν σκόμβροι τῶν θύννων, οἱ δ’ ὄρτυγες τῶν γεράνων· τὰ μὲν γὰρ μεταβάλλει τοῦ Βοηδρομιῶνος, τὰ δὲ τοῦ Μαιμακτηριῶνος.
The weaker always make their migration first in either extreme of temperature, as for instance mackerel before tunny, and quails before cranes; for the former change in the month of Boedromion, and the latter in Maimakterion.
Ἔστι δὲ πιότερα πάντα ὅταν ἐκ τῶν ψυχρῶν τόπων μεταβάλλῃ ἢ ὅταν ἐκ τῶν θερμῶν, οἷον καὶ οἱ ὄρτυγες τοῦ φθινοπώρου μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ ἔαρος.
All animals are fatter when they migrate from cold places than when from warm ones, as indeed quails are fatter in autumn than in spring.
Συμβαίνει δ’ ἐκ τῶν ψυχρῶν τόπων ἅμα μεταβάλλειν καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὥρας τῆς θερμῆς.
And migration from cold places occurs at the same time as the end of the warm season.
Ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὰς ὀχείας ὁρμητικώτερον κατὰ τὴν ἐαρινὴν ὥραν καὶ ὅταν μεταβάλλωσιν ἐκ τῶν θερμῶν.
They are also more eager for copulation in the spring season and when they migrate from warm places.
Τῶν μὲν οὖν ὀρνέων αἱ γέρανοι, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, ἐκτοπίζουσιν εἰς τὰ ἔσχατα ἐκ τῶν ἐσχάτων.
Of birds, then, cranes, as has been said before, migrate to the extremes from the extremes.
Πέτονται δὲ πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα.
They fly against the wind.
Τὸ δὲ περὶ τοῦ λίθου ψεῦδός ἐστι· λέγεται γὰρ ὡς ἔχουσιν ἕρμα λίθον, ὃς γίνεται χρήσιμος πρὸς τὰς τοῦ χρυσοῦ βασάνους, ὅταν ἀνεμέσωσιν.
The story about the stone is false; for it is said that they carry a stone as ballast, which becomes useful for touchstones of gold when they vomit it up.
Ἀπαίρουσι δὲ καὶ αἱ φάτται καὶ αἱ πελειάδες, καὶ οὐ χειμάζουσι, καὶ αἱ χελιδόνες καὶ αἱ τρυγόνες· αἱ δὲ περιστεραὶ καταμένουσιν.
Wood-pigeons and rock-pigeons also depart and do not winter here, as do swallows and turtle-doves; but domestic pigeons remain behind.
Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ οἱ ὄρτυγες, ἐὰν μή τινες ὑπολειφθῶσι καὶ τῶν τρυγόνων καὶ τῶν ὀρτύγων ἐν εὐείλοις χωρίοις.
Likewise also quails, unless some of the turtle-doves and quails are left behind in sunny and warm places.
Ἀγελάζονται δ’ αἵ τε φάτται καὶ αἱ τρυγόνες, ὅταν τε παραγίνωνται καὶ πάλιν ὅταν ὥρα ᾖ πρὸς τὴν ἀνακομιδήν.
Wood-pigeons and turtle-doves flock together both when they arrive and again when it is time for their return.
Οἱ δ’ ὄρτυγες ὅταν πέσωσιν, ἐὰν μὲν εὐδία ἢ βόρειον ᾖ, συνδυάζονταί τε καὶ εὐημεροῦσιν, ἐὰν δὲ νότος, χαλεπῶς ἔχουσι διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι πτητικοί· ὑγρὸς γὰρ καὶ βαρὺς ὁ ἄνεμος· διὸ καὶ οἱ θηρεύοντες ἐπιχειροῦσι τοῖς νοτίοις.
When quails land, if it is calm weather or a north wind, they pair and fare well; but if it is a south wind, they are in distress because they are not good flyers, for the wind is damp and heavy; wherefore also hunters target them during south winds.
Εὐδίας δ’ οὐ πέτονται διὰ τὸ βάρος· πολὺ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα, διὸ καὶ βοῶντες πέτονται· πονοῦσι γάρ.
In calm weather they do not fly because of their weight; for their body is large, which is why they also fly screaming, since they are laboring.
Ὅταν μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖθεν παραβάλλωσιν, οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡγεμόνας· ὅταν δ’ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαίρωσιν, ἥ τε γλωττὶς συναπαίρει καὶ ἡ ὀρτυγομήτρα καὶ ὁ ὠτὸς καὶ ὁ κύχραμος, ὅσπερ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀνακαλεῖται νύκτωρ· καὶ ὅταν τούτου τὴν φωνὴν ἀκούσωσιν οἱ θηρεύοντες, ἴσασιν ὅτι οὐ καταμένουσιν.
When they arrive from there, they have no leaders; but when they depart from here, the glottis departs with them, as do the ortygometra, the otus, and the kychramos, which indeed calls them at night; and when the hunters hear its voice, they know that the quails are not staying.
Ἡ δ’ ὀρτυγομήτρα παραπλήσιος τὴν μορφὴν τοῖς λιμναίοις ἐστί, καὶ ἡ γλωττὶς γλῶτταν ἐξαγομένην ἔχουσα μέχρι πόρρω.
The ortygometra is very similar in shape to water-birds, and the glottis has a tongue that can be projected to a great distance.
Ὁ δ’ ὠτὸς ὅμοιος ταῖς γλαυξὶ καὶ περὶ τὰ ὦτα πτερύγια ἔχων· ἔνιοι δ’ αὐτὸν νυκτικόρακα καλοῦσιν.
The otus is similar to owls, having feather tufts around its ears; some call it the nyktikorax.
Ἔστι δὲ κόβαλος καὶ μιμητής, καὶ ἀντορχούμενος ἁλίσκεται, περιελθόντος θατέρου τῶν θηρευτῶν, καθάπερ ἡ γλαύξ.
It is a rogue and an imitator, and is caught while dancing in response, when one of the hunters goes around it, just like the owl.
Ὅλως δὲ τὰ γαμψώνυχα πάντα βραχυτράχηλα καὶ πλατύγλωττα καὶ μιμητικά· καὶ γὰρ τὸ Ἰνδικὸν ὄρνεον ἡ ψιττάκη, τὸ λεγόμενον ἀνθρωπόγλωττον, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· καὶ ἀκολαστότερον δὲ γίνεται, ὅταν πίῃ οἶνον.
In general, all birds with crooked talons have short necks, flat tongues, and are imitative; for the Indian bird, the parrot, the one called human-tongued, is of this kind; and it becomes more dissolute when it drinks wine.
Ἀγελαῖοι δὲ τῶν ὀρνίθων εἰσὶ γέρανος, κύκνος, πελεκάν, χὴν ὁ μικρός.
Among birds, the crane, the swan, the pelican, and the small goose are gregarious.