exclusion of others; and besides poultry and pigeons, which abounded in Egypt, many of the wading tribe, the curlew, the ardea, and several others were esteemed for the table, and even introduced among the choice offerings presented to the gods. The practice of salting birds, in a country like Egypt, may, perhaps, be considered singular; but confirmation of the statement of Herodotus is derived from the sculptures, where some poulterers appear to be in the act of preserving them in this manner, and depositing them in jars.*

Independent of the birds taken in nets, and by other means, the Egyptian poulterers supplied the market with the eggs of those most in request; they also reared the young after the eggs were hatched, (which was frequently done, as already observed, by an artificial process,) and these were sold to supply the poultry-yards of the rich, whose stock of wild fowl was often numerous.

The various birds represented in the Egyptian sculptures, cannot always be recognised with certainty, in consequence of the loss of the colours, or a want of skill in their artists, who, disregarding the intermediate hues, adopted certain fixed colours, in a conventional manner, as an approximation; and unless the character of the birds is so marked as to be readily distinguished by a simple outline, it is often difficult to identify them.

In some, however, there is sufficient to guide us without the necessity of conjecture, and these I

* Vide wood-cut, No. 80.

shall notice in their proper order, without distinguishing between such as were forbidden, or admitted at an Egyptian table.

BIRDS OCCURRING IN THE SCULPTURES.

Strix flammea.

Strix passerina.

2. Insessores.

Lanius excubitor?
Corvus corax.
Corvus cornix.
Turdus viscivorus.
Alauda cristata.
Alauda arenaria.

Upupa epops.
Hirundo rustica.

Alcedo ispida.

Fringilla; several species.

3. Rasores, or Gallinaceous.

Columba turtur.

Pterocles melanogaster.
Perdix coturnix.

Otis Hebara?

*This name has been given it in Arabic from the noise it makes when alarmed and flying.

Many other birds are figured in the sculptures; but as it is difficult to determine the exact species to which they belong, I shall not hazard any conjecture upon their names, having noticed those which most commonly occur. In the tombs of Thebes and Beni Hassan the Egyptians have not omitted to notice bats, and even some of the

insects, which abound in the Valley of the Nile; and the well known locust*, the butterfly t, and the

* Vide wood-cut, No. 340. fig. 21.

+ Vide wood-cuts, Nos. 336, 337, and 341.