On Animals depicted on Antique Monuments. 281 



these engravings we might add a host of others, which have 

 been copied from antique medals. 



A great number of the Rodentia have likewise been hand- 

 ed down to us. We clearly recognise the rabbit and common 

 hare^ and also that of Egypt, so remarkable for its long ears. 

 This species, which is very common on all the monuments of 

 Egypt, is scarcely less common on many antique stones, which 

 are to be found represented in the works of Micali and Mont- 

 faucon, as well as on many of the bronzes which have been dis- 

 covered at Herculaneum. This is also true of the beaver. This 

 class of animals attracted the larger attention of the ancients, in- 

 asmuch as many of them are such delicate articles of food. It 

 was for the purpose of perpetuating them, and augmenting 

 their numbers, that they conceived the idea of preparing parks 

 for the rearing and feeding of them. These parks seem first to 

 have been used by Fulvius Hirpinus, about the time of the 

 Second Punic War. They were with propriety denominated Le- 

 porina, because there were reared at least three varieties of the 

 hare, — the common one, the original one, or that from Spain, 

 and also the Alpine, a variety which, now-a-days, is almost ex- 

 tinct. In them also were reared the greater number of the fal- 

 low deer, which were found in the ancient forests, and with them 

 were also bred the mouflon or wild sheep. 



The animals which were reared in these parks were all but 

 domesticated. They were taught to assemble at a given call. 

 Thus, Hortensius having invited a number of visitors to his 

 country residence, at the sound of a horn, a number of stags, 

 roebucks, wild-boars, and fallow-deer, speedily assembled. These 

 animals collected in crowds close by the apartment in which 

 they were dining. It is easy to perceive that the care which the 

 ancients thus took in rearing so many animals in their parks, 

 and those which they designed for the games of the Circus, must 

 have necessarily extended their knowledge of wild animals, and 

 led them to remark their predominant characteristics. We 

 may here remark, that there are many which they have very 

 well described, and which have often been regarded fabulous, 

 till they were afresh discovered. This was the case, for ex- 

 ample, among the Rodentia, with the prickly mouse, stated by 



