228 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIV. 



does not defend them with discretion like the 

 goose, but with folly." This reason, however, at 

 once impugns the trutli of a statement which leads 

 us to infer that they abstained from eating geese, 

 since we know they were served at the tables of 

 the priests themselves, and constituted one of the 

 principal articles of food throughout the country. 

 The pelican is sometimes eaten by the modern 

 Egyptians ; but it is very coarse and strong, and 

 requires much cooking, to overcome the greasy 

 properties of its flesh, and we cannot be surprised 

 at the ordinance which forbade it to the Israelites.* 

 Its Hebrew name is Kath ; and it is now com- 

 monly known in Egypt as the Gemmal el Bah\ or 

 *' camel of the river." 



FABULOUS BIRDS. 



Among fabulous birds, the Phoenix holds the 

 first place ; but this I have already mentionedt, as 

 well as the Baietht, and the vulture with a snake's 

 head.§ In confirmation of what I have before ob- 

 served of the Phoenix representing a periodical re- 

 volution, I may state, that the Egyptian name 

 seems to be TII-ENE^j or <1^ENE23 signifying 

 " scBcuhim" or a "period of years." 



Hawks were often represented with the lieads of 

 rams and men. 



* Lcvit. xi. 18. Dciit. xiv. 17. Pliny also tells a strange tale about 

 the pelican, which he calls Phitea. (x. 40.; and Aristot. viii. 12.) 

 + Vide supra. Vol. I. (2(1 Scries) p. 303. 307. 

 J Vide svprd, p. 209. ; and Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 242. 

 ^ Vide supra, p. 45. 



