332 



THE SACRED IBIS. 



Sickle), in allusion to the fruits of harvest, which are derived 

 from the inundations of the Nile. It feeds on the smaller 

 reptiles, and, as the Arabs still say, on serpents, which has by- 

 many been supposed the sole cause of its being worshipped 

 by the Egyptians ; but this appears doubtful, and we are in- 

 clined, with some other high authorities, to attribute their 

 respect for it to another cause — namely, a fancied resemblance 

 to the moon, whether from the curved and crescent shape of 

 its beak, or from the contrasted colours of black and white, 



Egyptian Plover and Crocodile, 



which, in the opinion of an ancient writer* on the subject, 

 made it appear as if marked with a crescent. Now the moon, 

 as well as the sun, was a known object of worship amongst 

 many of the heathen nations, and more especially the Egyp- 

 tians. Thus Job alludes to it, when he says, " If I beheld 

 the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness ; 

 and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath 

 kissed my hand : this also were an iniquity to be punished " 

 * Plutarch, De hide el Osiride. 



