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Batrachites, Toadstone

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128
BATRACHITES.
ment, which derives the name merely from the colour, makes these stones to be found within the swallow, of two kinds, white and red, of wonderful virtue in the cure of insanity and in giving good fortune to the wearer.
The Chelonia, or Indian tortoise's eye, smeared with honey and laid on the tongue, bestowed the power of divination for periods varying according to the moon's age.
The Chelonitis resembled in shape the tortoise; the Magi told wonderful stories of its power in appeasing storms; never­theless the kind starred over with gold spots, if thrown, together with a beetle, into boiling water, would raise a tempest.
The Chloritis, of a grass-green, was to be found inside the wagtail; this the Magi recommended should be mounted in an iron ring "to produce some of those prodigious effects they are wont to promise." The Draconitis or Dracontias, from the serpent's brain, had no lustre unless cut out of the living reptile. Sotacus, who had himself seen it, says it was colourless and transparent, could not be polished, or admit of any artificial improvement. In this quotation from Sotacus (elsewhere styled by Pliny " e vetustissimis auctoribus") we find the first allusion to the real Diamond, and the popular Indian tale of the Valley of Serpents that alone produced it. Sotacus adds that the hunters went in quest of it in chariots, and when pursued by the serpent fled, strewing the ground in their flight with some soporific drugs by which the reptile was overpowered, whereupon they returned and made prize of his head.
Philostratus, however, gives fuller details of the mode of capture (iii. 8). " These dragons are thus taken: having woven letters of gold into a scarlet robe, they spread it out before the den, but first of all magically infuse a soporific power into these letters, whereby the dragon hath his eyes overcome, losing all power to turn them away. They also sing over him many spells of their mystic art, whereby he is drawn forth, and, putting his neck outside of his den, falls asleep upon the letters. Then the Indians, assailing him as he lies, cut off his head with their axes and make prize of the gems within it, for in the heads of these mountain-dragons are secreted gems bright-coloured to the
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