CHAP. XIV. LATUS AND M/EOTES. 253 



The uncertainty respecting the sacred fish of 

 Egypt necessarily leads to many doubtful conjec- 

 tures; but the appearance of the bronzes induces me 

 to renounce the opinion I had formed respecting 

 the Kelb el Bahr, and to give to the Binny, or Cy- 

 prinus, the name of Lepidotus. 



LaTUS and MiEOTES. 



Another fish, the Latus, was worshipped at La- 

 topoUs*, now Esneh. In the sculptures several 

 representations occur offish, particularly one kind, 

 which may possibly be the pe- 

 culiar species held sacred in 

 that city, as it is surrounded 

 N0.464.C. A fish at Esneh. by au oval usually given to the 

 names of Kings and Gods. 



The Maeotes is said by Clemens t of Alexandria 

 to have been sacred at Elephantine ; but I am 

 ignorant of its species and general character. It 

 is possible that it may have been the karmooty a 

 species of Silurust, whicli, if not worshipped in 

 the Thebaid, was connected with one of the Genii 

 of the Egyptian Pantheon, who appears under a 

 human form, with the head of this fish, in the 

 sculptures of the Diospolite tombs. In Lower 

 Egypt the kari.oot was caught for the table ; but 

 there is no evidence of its having been eaten in 

 the Thebaid, and this may be an argument in 

 favour of its having held a place among the sacred 



* Strabo, xvii. p. 559. f Clem. Orat. Adhort. p. 17. 



\ Siliinis canmith, or Heterolirancliiis bi-dorsalis. 



