On Animals depicted mi Antigue MuniDaents. 73 



serable those of the ox ? Such a species, which on the authori- 

 ty of the mosaic and the commentators is far from being mon- 

 strous, since it did Hve in Ethiopia, having been no where found 

 in our days, we must thence conclude, that, hke many other 

 races, it has disappeared from the surface of the earth ; or, at 

 least, that the interior of Africa, so far as it is yet known, has 

 .none of them. 



The two other Ruminantia which are found in the Mosaic 

 are well known. The first is the sheep ; and as to the second, 

 which is led by a peasant along the banks of the Nile, it is evi- 

 dently a repi-esentation of the common ox [Bos taiirus, Lin.) 

 Close to the sheep is seen the words Ago?, probably for Aegxo? — 

 the wild-goat. Notwithstanding, the animal near which the 

 word is written is certainly a sheep. Barthelemy is with reason 

 astonished that, in the engraving of 1721, they have substituted 

 the word A^r^o;, a boar, which in no degree resembles the figure 

 in the mosaic. This mistake is also fallen into by Montfaucon, 

 though he could not trace in this animal any of the peculiar 

 characters of the Aper or wild boar. 



BIRDS. 



Numerous birds are represented on the mosaic of Pales^^rina. 

 They belong to three different famihes; 1*^, The Gallinae ; 2d, 

 The Echassiers (Cuvier) (Grallae, Lin.) ; and, Qd, The Palmi- 

 pedes. The last are the most numei'ous, both as it regards 

 species and individuals; and this arising from the mosaic repre- 

 senting the course of the river Nile. 



I. Gallin.e. 



A. The domestic peacock {Pavo cristatus, Lin.). This bird 

 has been represented en an immense number of antique monu- 

 ments, often with its tail expanded, and in otiier positions. 



B. The common pigeon {Columba livia, Lin ). 



II. Grall^e ok Waders. 



A. The white stork {Ardea ciconia, Lin). 



This bird has been represented upon the top of one of the 

 cradles, which is constructed ol' twisted rushes, which are to be 

 found on the mosaic, probably with the intention of pointing 



