THE SACRED IBIS. 



331 



this external curve acting as a sufficient check to the bird's 

 free passage, excepting along the line of snares. The labour 

 of the person who had given himself the trouble of setting 

 them was, we understood, amply repaid by the numbers taken 

 by this simple process. 



We shall conclude what we have to say on the Scolopax 

 genus, by a few remarks upon one species, which was formerly 

 an object of adoration amongst the ancient Egyptians during 

 life, and after death was honoured with funeral rights equal 

 to those bestowed upon their kings and princes, being entombed 



The Sacred Ibis. 



in sacred monuments, and still found as mummies, embalmed 

 with precious ointments and divers kinds of spices. It was to 

 this bird that St. Paul chiefly alludes in Rom. i. 23, when he 

 accuses the Gentiles of " changing the glory of the incorruptible 

 God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds ; " 

 and it was this bird, again, which formed part of the idol 

 abominations alluded to in the vision of Ezekiel. It is called 

 the Ibis religiosa, or Sacred Ibis, and is peculiar to Egypt and 

 the countries bordering on the river Me, coming down from 

 Ethiopia on the increase of the river ; and from this circum- 

 stance is named by the Arabs, Abou-mengel (Father of tho 



