Aristotle's History of Animals: In Ten Books — Aristotle — John Shaqi
Aristotle's History of Animals: In Ten Books
Aristotle · en
2. Each of its feet is divided into two parts, having the same relation
to each other as our thumbs have to the rest of the hand: and, for a
short distance, each of these is divided into toes; in the fore-feet
the internal part has three, the external two toes; in the hind feet
the internal part has two, and the external three toes; there is a claw
upon each of its toes like that of birds of prey; its whole body is
rough, like the crocodile.
3. Its eyes are placed in a hollow, and are very large and round;
surrounded with skin like the rest of its body, and in the middle is
left a small aperture through which it sees; this is never covered with
skin. The eye is turned round in a circle, and it can direct its vision
to any side, so that it can see where it will. The change in the colour
of its skin takes place when it is filled with air. It can acquire
either a black colour, like that of the crocodile, or ochreous, like
that of the lizard, or spotted with black, like the panther; and this
change takes place over the whole body, for the eyes also change like
the rest of the body, and so does the tail.
4. Its movements are slow, like those of the tortoise; when dying, it
becomes ochreous, and retains this colour after death. The œsophagus
and trachea of the chameleon are similar to the same parts in lizards;
it has no flesh, except a little on the head and cheeks, and upon the
appendage at the end of its tail. It has no blood, except about the
heart, and eyes, and the parts above the heart, and the veins that
extend from these: and even in these there is very little blood.
5. The brain lies a little above the eyes, and is continuous with them;
and when the outside skin of the eye is taken away, a bright object
shines through it, like a bright ring of brass. Through the whole of
its body many strong membranes are extended, which are much stronger
than in other animals. It breathes strongly for some time after it has
been dissected, and there are some slight movements of the heart; it
also continues to contract its sides, but not the other parts of the
body. It has no distinct spleen; and it hides itself in rocks like the
lizard.
CHAPTER VIII.
1. Birds also have many parts like the animals described above. For
all these have a head, neck, back, and under parts of the body, and
something resembling a breast. They have two legs, and thus resemble
men more than other animals, except that the joints bend backwards like
those of quadrupeds, as I said before. They have neither hands, nor
fore-feet, but wings; herein they differ from all other animals. Again,
the hip is like a thigh, large and united as far as the middle of the
abdomen, so as to look like a thigh, when it is separated from the rest
of the body; and the thigh where it is joined to the leg is another
part. The class of birds with crooked claws have the largest thigh, and
stronger breasts than others.