they shed
forth their eggs by a few grains at a time, 79 and the males coming
after swallow them up. Now these grains are fish, and from the grains
which survive and are not swallowed, the fish grow which afterwards are
bred up. Now those of the fish which are caught as they swim out to sea
are found to be rubbed on the left side of the head, but those which are
caught as they swim up again are rubbed on the right side. This happens
to them because as they swim down to the sea they keep close to the land
on the left side of the river, and again as they swim up they keep to
the same side, approaching and touching the bank as much as they can,
for fear doubtless of straying from their course by reason of the
stream. When the Nile begins to swell, the hollow places of the land
and the depressions by the side of the river first begin to fill, as the
water soaks through from the river, and so soon as they become full of
water, at once they are all filled with little fishes; and whence
these are in all likelihood produced, I think that I perceive. In the
preceding year, when the Nile goes down, the fish first lay eggs in the
mud and then retire with the last of the retreating waters; and when
the time comes round again, and the water once more comes over the land,
from these eggs forthwith are produced the fishes of which I speak.

94. Thus it is as regards the fish. And for anointing those of the
Egyptians who dwell in the fens use oil from the castor-berry, 80 which
oil the Egyptians call kiki, and thus they do:--they sow along the banks
of the rivers and pools these plants, which in a wild form grow of
themselves in the land of the Hellenes; these are sown in Egypt and
produce berries in great quantity but of an evil smell; and when they
have gathered these, some cut them up and press the oil from them,
others again roast them first and then boil them down and collect that
which runs away from them. The oil is fat and not less suitable for
burning than olive-oil, but it gives forth a disagreeable smell.

95. Against the gnats, which are very abundant, they have contrived as
follows:--those who dwell above the fen-land are helped by the towers, to
which they ascend when they go to rest; for the gnats by reason of the
winds are not able to fly up high: but those who dwell in the fen-land
have contrived another way instead of the towers, and this is it:--every
man of them has got a casting net, with which by day he catches fi