Stags listen admiringly to the music of rustic pipes.1
With their ears pricked, they hear acutely; with the ears
lowered, not at all.
  Also these animals have the following peculiarity: that
when they change their feeding grounds for love of a
foreign pasture, and browse along on the way there, if
by any chance they have to cross huge rivers or seas,
each rests his head on the haunches of the one in front,
and, since the one behind does the same thing for him in
turn, they suffer no trouble from the weight. And, when
they have mounted their heads upon those parts, they
hurry across with the greatest' possible speed for fear of
getting befouled.
  Stags have another feature too, for, after a dinner of
snake, they shed their coats and all their old age with
them.

  These peculiarities seem to fit in with people who are
devoted to the Holy Church, by a congruous and com-
petent symbolism.   For when  Christians leave their
pasture, i.e. this world, for the love of heavenly pastures,
they support each other, i.e. the more perfect carry along
and sustain the weight of the less perfect by their example
and good works. And if they come across some occasion
for sin they hurry over it at once.  Also, after snuffing
up the devil-snake, i.e. after the perpetration of sin, they
  1 Even Aristotle, a genuine observer, states that they like music. Pigs
were
also notorious for this foible. 'Anon', says Burton in his Alla/omy of MelancAo/y,
'made fish follow him, which, as common experience evinceth, are much affected
with musick. All singing birds are much pleased with it, especially nightingales,
if we may beleeve Calcagninus; and bees among the rest, though they be flying
away, when they hear any tingling sound, will tarry behinde. Harts, hinds,
horses, dogs, bears, are exceedingly delighted with it, Scal. exerc. 302.
Elephants,
Aggrippa addes, lib. z. cap. 2z~. and in Lydia in the midst of a lake there
be
certain floating ilands (if ye will beleeve it) that, after musick, will
dance'.

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