CH.XV. OXEN OF ALL COLOURS SLAUGHTERED. 349 



too, on most occasions, were restricted to male 

 victims *, a wise regulation for the preservation of 

 the species, which the legislators of Eastern nations 

 seldom overlooked. " In Egypt and Palestine," 

 says St. Jerome t, "in consequence of the great 

 scarcity of cattle, no one eats the meat of cows ; " 

 and Porphyry t asserts, that " the scruples of the 

 Egyptians and Phoenicians were so strong on this 

 point, that they would rather have lived on the flesli 

 of man than of the cow." That the Egyptians ab- 

 stained from the meat of heifers is attested by the 

 authority of ancient authors, and by the sculptures 

 themselves ; but we find from these last, that the 

 restriction to animals of a red colour, if really in 

 force at any time, was not generally maintained, 

 either in sacrifices or when required for the 

 table. A black and white ox is represented at 

 the altars of several gods, even of Osiris himself; 

 and the butcher or the cook are frequently en- 

 gaged in slaughtering spotted oxen, and preparing 

 them for the use of the family.§ 



Nor did any colour exempt them from labour ; 

 and black, white, spotted, or red oxen were indis- 

 criminately employed 11 in the plough, and "all 

 manner of service in the field." It is, therefore, 

 evident, that if any restriction respecting colour 

 actually existed, it was only attended to on certain 

 occasions, or at peculiar ceremonies, in honour of 



* Vide Levit. i. 3. " Let him offer a 7nale without blemish," ct alib, 



f St. Jer. Hieron. adv. Jovin. ii. 7. 



\ Porphyr. de Abstin. ii. 11. Herodot. ii. 41. 



§ Vide Plate 12. Vol. H. (1st Series) p. 222. 



jl Vide Vol. I. (2d Series; p. 48. 



