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CHAPTER XIX, 14-23.
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17. Regarding the ox-fish they say, that it exists in all seas; when it utters a cry all fish become pregnant, and all noxious water-creatures cast their young.
18. The griffon bird !, which is a bat, is noticed (kard) twice in another chapter (baba).
19. Regarding the bird Ashộzust 2, which is the bird Zobara 3-vahman and also the bird Sôk 4, they say that it has given an Avesta with its tongue; when it speaks the demons tremble at it and take nothing away there; a nail-paring, when it is not prayed over (afsūd), the demons and wizards seize, and like an arrow it shoots at and kills that bird. 20. On this account the bird seizes and devours a nail-paring when it is prayed over, so that the demons may not control its use; when it is not prayed over it does not devour it, and the demons are able to commit an offence with it.
21. Also other beasts and birds are created all in opposition to noxious creatures, as it says, that when the birds and beasts are all in opposition to noxious creatures and wizards, &c. 22. This, too, it says, that of all precious birds the crow (valâgh) is the most precious. 23. Regarding the white falcon it
does not mean "bird,' and the Pahlavi translator calls it 'a quadruped. In the Pahl. Visp. I, 1, 'the Karsipt is the chief of Aying creatures, and the Bundahis also takes it as a bird (see Chaps. XIV, 23, XXIV, 11).
See Chaps. XIV, 11, 23, 24, XXIV, 11, 29. . The Av. Asho-zusta of Vend. XVII, 26, 28. • Compare Pers. &Qlah, a sparrow or lark.' • Compare Pers. sak, a magpie.' o This quotation is evidently left incomplete.
• The Pahlavi word is ambiguous; it may be read zil, cheap, common,' or it may be zagar=yakar, 'dear, precious,' but the
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