THE SACRED IBIS. 323 
their temples they set it up as a divinity, and allowed it to multiply 
in their cities to such an extent that, if we can believe Herodotus and 
Strabo, it actually impeded the traffic. Whoever killed an Ibis, even by 
accident, at once became the victim of a mad crowd, who stoned him 
pitilessly ; ; while the dead bird was embalmed with the greatest care, 
and then placed in earthen pots hermetically sealed, which were 
ranged in special cata‘ombs. A large number of mummies of the Ibis 
have been found in the wecro- 
poles of Thebes and Memphis, 
and several specimens of them 
are to be seen in the Museum 
of Natural History at Paris. 
The Egyptian worship of 
the Ibis is a certain and incon- 
testable fact. Less certain, 
however, is the origin of 
these honours. Herodotus 
has given an explanation, ob- 
scure enough, it is true, but 
which, however, was adopted 
by his successors, and for a 
long time accepted by our 
savants. 
“The Arabians assure us,” 
says Herodotus, “that the 
great veneration which the 
Egyptians render to the ibis Fig. 126.—Sacred Ibis. 
is caused by the gratitude 
which they feel towards the bird for ridding the country of w#nged 
serpents” 
According to tradition, these ‘‘ winged serpents ” came into Egypt 
from Arabia at the commencement of spring. They always followed 
the same route, and invariably passed through a certain defile, where 
the Ibis intercepted their passage and devoured them. Herodotus 
adds that, having gone to Arabia to obtain some certain information 
about these “winged serpents,” he saw, lying on the ground near the 
city of Buto, “an immense quantity of bones and vertebra unmis- 
takably those of the winged plagues.” 
Since the time of Herodotus, a great many authors, probably on 
his authority, have reproduced this fable, and enriched it with varia- 
tions more or less fanciful. Cicero, Pomponius Mela, Solinus, 
Ammianus, and ‘lian have alike done so. According to the last 
