CHAP. XIV. OWL. — SPARROW. — CROW. 211 



markable, as this bird has been chosen in many 

 countries as the emblem of a Deity, or connected 

 with some mysterious notion. Its constant occur- 

 rence on the monuments, (where it stands for the 

 letter W2, and bears the sense of " in," " with," and 

 *' for,") together with the eagle, vulture, hawk, 

 chicken, and swallow, led to the name " bird writ- 

 ing*," which has been applied to hieroglyphics by 

 the modern Egyptians. 



There is no reason for supposing the owl to have 

 been an emblem of the Egyptian Minerva, as some 

 have imagined. And if it obtained any degree of 

 respect, for its utility in destroying noxious animals, 

 the return for those benefits was thought to be 

 sufficiently repaid, by the care with whicli it was 

 embalmed after death. Several mummies of owls 

 have been found in the Necropolis of Thebes. 



The Sparrow, Raven, Crow, Swallow, 

 Upupa. 



According to HorapoUot, the sparrow was used 

 by the Egyptians to denote "a prolific man," and 

 according to others, '* the revolution of a year." 



* The Greeks and Romans applied to them the name of animal 

 writing. Herodotus speaks of" the causeway of the pyramids, with the 

 figures of animals carved upon it." (ii. 124.) Lucan says, 



" Saxis tantum volucresque feraeque, 



Sculptaque servabant magicas animalia linguas." 



Ammianus, in describing the hieroglyphics on the sculptured walls 

 of the Egyptian excavated monuments, observes, " Excisis parie- 

 tibus volucrum ferarumque genera multa sculpserunt, et animalium spe- 

 cies innumeras, quas hieroglyphicas literas appellarunt." (xxii. c.l5. 

 p. 339.) 

 f Horapollo, Hierog. ii. 115. 



p 2 



