De sollertia animalium

And why should anyone be surprised at the

community life of these when the most unsociable and brutal of all creatures bred in river, lake, or sea, the crocodile, shows himself marvellously proficient at partnership and goodwill in his dealings with the Egyptian plover?[*](See Herodotus, ii. 68; Thompson on Aristotle, Historia Animal. ix. 6 (612 a 20); Glossary of Greek Birds, p. 287. Some authorities such as Pliny, Nat. Hist. viii. 90 and Oppian, Cyn. iii. 415 ff., state that the ichneumon attacks the crocodile while its mouth is open for the plover’s operations. Cf. Boulenger, Animal Mysteries, p. 104, for a modern factual account (see also his World Natural History, p. 146).) The plover is a bird of the swamps and river banks and it guards the crocodile, not supplying its own food, but as a boarder making a meal of the crocodile’s scraps.[*](Cf. Aelian, De Natura Animal. iii. 11; xii. 15; [Aristotle], Mir. Ausc. 7.) Now when it perceives that, during the crocodile’s sleep, the ichneumon[*](Cf. 966 d supra.) is planning to attack it, smearing itself with mud like an athlete dusting himself for the fray, the bird awakes the crocodile by crying and pecking at it. And the crocodile becomes so gentle with it that it will open its mouth and let it in and is pleased that the bird quietly pecks out, with its bill, bits of flesh which are caught in the teeth and cleans them up. When it is now satisfied and wants to close its mouth, it tilts its snout upward as an indication of its desire and does not let it down until the plover, at once perceiving the intention, flies out.

The so-called guide [*](The name and the activity are appropriate to the pilot-fish (Cf. Oppian, Hal. v. 62 ff.; Aelian, De Natura Animal. ii. 13), but the description fits rather one of the globe-fishes, such as Diodon hystrix (cf. Thompson, Glossary, p. 75). See also Pliny, Nat. Hist. ix. 186; xi. 165, who calls it the sea mouse. Actually the pilot is just a sponger and accompanies the shoals with the sole object of picking up such crumbs as may fall from their table. Boulenger, Animal Mysteries, p. 105.) is a small fish, in size and shape like a goby; but by reason of the roughness of its scales it is said to resemble a ruffled bird. It always accompanies one of the great whales, swimming in front of it and directing its course so that it

may not go aground in shallows or be cut off in some lagoon or strait from which exit may be difficult. The whale follows it, as a ship obeys the helm, changing course with great docility. And whatever else, creature or boat or stone, it embraces in its gaping jaws is at once destroyed and goes to its ruin completely engulfed; but that little fish it knows and receives inside its mouth as in a haven. While the fish sleeps within, the whale remains motionless and lies by; but when it comes out again, the beast accompanies it and does not depart from it day or night; or, if it does, it gets lost and wanders at random. Many, indeed, have been cast up on the land and perished, being, as it were, without a pilot.[*](Cf. the whole passage in Oppian, Hal. v. 70-349 on the destruction of whales.) We, in fact, were witnesses of such a mishap near Anticyra not long ago; and they relate that some time ago, when a whale came aground not far from Boulis[*](For the unknown Bouna or Bounae of the mss. C. O. Müller (Orchomenos², p. 482) proposed Boulis, a town to the east of Anticyra on the Phocian Gulf.) and rotted, a plague ensued.

Is it, then, justifiable to compare with these associations and companionships those friendships which Aristotle[*](Frag. 354, ed. V. Rose.) says exist between foxes and snakes because of their common hostility to the eagle; or those between bustards and horses[*](Cf. Aelian, De Natura Animal. ii. 28 and Mair on Oppian, Cyn. ii. 406.) because the former like to approach and pick over the dung ? As for me, I perceive even in ants or bees no such concern for each other. It is true that every one of

them promotes the common task, yet none of them has any interest in or regard for his fellow individually.