138 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIV. 



and it is more likely that the Ichneumon should be 

 mistaken for an otter than tlie monitor of the Nile. 

 Since writing the above, I find my last opinion 

 fully confirmed by Ammianus Marcellinus *, whosays 

 it is "the Hydrus, a kind of Ichneumon y^ which 

 attacks the crocodile ; and the name of Enhydrus, 

 given it by Solinus and Isidorus, added to the 

 observation of Hesychius, who describes *' the En- 

 hydrus as an amphibious animal, like the beaver," 

 may suffice to show that the Enhydris (svuop/^) of 

 Herodotus is no other than the Ichneumon. 



The Dog. 



The dog was held in great veneration in many 

 parts of Egypt, particularly at the city of Cynopolis, 

 where it was treated with divine honours. Strabo 

 tells us a stated quantity of provisions was always 

 supplied by the inhabitants of that city for the 

 maintenance of their favourite animals ; and so 

 tenacious were they of tlie respect due to them, 

 that a civil war raged for some time between them 

 and the people of Oxyrhinchus, in consequence of 

 the latter having killed and eaten them. This had 

 been done in revenge for an insult they had re- 

 ceived from the Cynopolites, who had brought to 

 table their sacred fish.t 



'* In ancient times,'* says Plutarch t, *' the Egyp- 

 tians paid the greatest reverence and honour to tlie 



* Ainm. Marc. xxii. 14. p. 33G. 



f Pint. (Ic Is. s. 72. Strabo .says the Oxyrliincluis fish was sacred in 

 all Egvi)t (xvii. p. 559.). 

 X Plut. de Is. s. 44. 



