204 BIRDS. 



courtesy, is here subjoined, the relative frequency being indi- 

 cated by numerals : 



1 denotes a single individual ; 



2 indicates that the remains of several individuals have 



been met with ; 



3 the species which are common ; 



4 those which are very common ; and lastly, 



5 those which are present in great number. 



The almost entire absence of the hare is doubtless owing 

 to the curious prejudice which was and is entertained by 

 many races against the flesh of this animal. It was never 

 eaten by the ancient Britons, and is avoided by the Lapps at 

 the present day. According to Burton,* the Somal Arabs 

 will not touch it, and M. Schlegel also states that the pre- 

 judice against it existed among the ancient Chinese.*}" The 

 Namaquas (S. Africa) do not eat it for fear of becoming timid. 

 Perhaps for this reason it was, among the Hottentots, forbidden 

 to men, but permitted to women. J It was regarded as unclean 

 by the Jews, being erroneously supposed to chew the cud. 

 According to Crantz, the Greenlanders, if in want, will eat 

 foxes rather than hares, nor do its remains occur in the Danish 

 shell-mounds. It appears, however, to have been eaten in 

 Palaeolithic times.|| 



The birds which have been discovered are : 



Aquila fulva. The golden eagle. At Eobenhausen. 



Aquila halisetus. A single bone found at Moosseedorf 

 is rather doubtfully referred to this species by 

 M. Eiitimeyer. 



Falco milvus. Eobenhausen. 



* First Footsteps, p. 155. 



t Notes and Queries on China, History of Greenland, p. 73. 

 Japan, Hongkong, May, 1868. || Boyd Dawkins. Geol. Jour. 



I Le Vaillant, Voyages dans 1'Af- 1876, p. 247. 

 rique, vol. iv. p. 187. 



