ZOOLOGTCAL MUSEUMS. 



491 



The ^' sJidpJidii, which make their houses in rocks," rendered 

 "coney" in Proverbs xxx. 26, Psalm civ. 18, and elsewhere, is 

 exemplified by the Hyrax Sijriacus. The " Jchbcir,'" rendered 

 " mouse" in Leviticus xi. 29, may refer to the species of Arvicola, or 

 Gej'bilhis, or Acomys, as well as Mus, in Mr. Tristram's collection. 

 The specimens of Ibex and Gazella are probably the species al- • 

 luded to under the names " tzaphir^'' Daniel viii. 21, Yehel, Job 

 xxxix. 1, and "e^-," Genesis xv. 9, and rendered " chamois " in Deu- 

 teronomy xvi. 5, and elsewhere. Of the hdtallepli, rendered "bats" 

 in Deuteronomy xiv. 18, and Isaiah ii. 20, the collection includes 

 species of JRhinopoma, Rhinolophus, Noctulinia, Vespertitio, and 

 Flecotus. It contains also a specimen of Syrian badger, although it 

 is doubtful whether the " tachash " is rightly so rendered in Exodus 

 and JN" umbers. The ^^dugong'' {Salicliore Hemprichii of the Eed 

 Sea), which more probably supplied the covering of the Tabernacle, 

 is still a desideratum. The species of Genetta, Serpestes, and other 

 small Carnivores brought from Palestine by Mr. Tristram, are indi- 

 cated by the term " Hholed,'' or CMled, in the Hebrew Scriptures, , 

 usually rendered " weasel " in the authorised version, Leviticus xi. 

 29. The " tansJiemeth,'" or " mole," may have referred to the species 

 of Spalax in the present collection, in which there is no true Tolpa. 

 The specimens of Testude Grceca, and of Emys Caspica, which Mr. 

 Tristram has shown to range to the Holy Land, exemplify the 

 forms to which reference is made by the Hebrew " tzav'' or " tsab'' 

 rendered *' tortoise after his kindj" in Leviticus xi. 29. The brief 

 notices of the serpents in the Old Testament preclude a determina- 

 tion of their species ; but the number of these, including three or 

 more poisonous kinds, collected in Palestine by Mr. Tristram, 

 accords with the references to such by diverse names, as e.g. 

 "nahash'' and '^ shephipJwn,'' respectively rendered " serpent " and 

 "adder,'* in Grenesis xlix. 17; the poison of the *' ndcMsh^' and 

 ^' petJien,'" rendered "serpent" and "adder," in Psalm Iviii. 4; the 

 species " which stingeth like an adder," " ephah " and " tzepha,'* 

 Proverbs xxiii. 32 ; the serpent whose bite inflames, " sarapJi,'' ren- 

 dered " fiery serpent " in Numbers xxi. 5.' 



In the Geological Department Professor Owen calls e?^pecial 

 attention to the collection of fossil remains and implements from the 

 cave of Bruniquel, in Southern Prance, which were acquired by the 

 Trustees in the spring of last year, as a " special purchase " for the 



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