258 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIV. 



and to ascertain to what extent other species partook 

 of the honours paid to that insect. I do not intend 

 to detain the reader by any examination of this in- 

 tricate question, which I leave to naturalists more 

 capable than myself to settle * ; and shall only ob- 

 serve that the one so frequently represented in the 

 sculptures appears to be the beetle still common in 

 every part of Egypt. t And if HorapoUo mentions 

 a beetle "with two horns*' (the Copj'is Isidis), 

 consecrated to the Moon, his statement is not con- 

 firmed by the sculptures, where it is never intro- 

 duced. Had this beetle been represented, its 

 peculiar form would be readily perceived ; and if 

 it appears singular that they did not choose it in 

 preference to a more ordinary species, we should 

 bear in mind that the Egyptians were not wont 

 to select their sacred emblems and animals for 

 their rarity or unusual appearance, but rather for 

 their utility ; and no insect could have a prior 

 claim on this account to the common beetle. 



Horapollot says, ** There are three species of 

 beetles. One has the form of a cat, and is radiated, 

 which from supposed analogy they have dedicated 

 to the Sun (the statue of the Deity of Heliopolis§ 

 having the form of a cat) ; and, from its having 

 thirty fingers, corres])onding to the thirty days 

 of a solar month. The second species has two 

 horns, and the character of a bull, which is con- 



* I refer for .some curious information on tliis head to Mr. Petti- 

 f^rcw's Ili.stor}' of Mummies, [). 2ii.'i, 221, 225. ; and I believe Mr. Hope 

 is preparinji; a detailed account of the .sul)jcct. 



-)- The Scarahneus sacer (T.in.), or Ateuchus sacer (Oliv.), which is 

 bhick, hke that of the monuments. The green Ateuchus Egyptiorum 

 is not the ono there represented. 



\. Ilorapollo, i. 10. § JWr .s«pv/, Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 296. 



