110 THEORY OF THE EAKTH, 



tural or produced by human interference, and no- 

 thing indicates that, with regard to them, time 

 has more effect than climate and domestication. 



I am aware that some naturalists lay great 

 stress upon the thousands of ages which they call 

 into action by a dash of the pen ; but, in such 

 matters, we can only judge of what a long period 

 of time might produce, by multiplying in idea 

 what a less time produces. With this view, I 

 have endeavoured to collect the most ancient do- 

 cuments relating to the forms of animals ; and 

 there are none which equal, either in antiquity or 

 abundance, those that Egypt furnishes. It af- 

 fords us, not only representations of animals, but 

 even their identical bodies embalmed in its cata- 

 combs. 



I have examined with the greatest attention the 

 figures of quadrupeds and birds sculptured upon 

 the numerous obelisks brought from Egypt to an- 

 cient Rome. All these figures possess, in their 

 general character, which alone could be the object 

 of attention to an artist, a perfect resemblance to 

 the species represented, such as we see them at 

 the present day. 



On examining the copies made by Kirker and 

 Zoega, we find that, without preserving every trait 

 of the originals in its perfect purity, they have 

 given figures which are easily recognised. We 

 readily distinguish the ibis, the vulture, the owl, 



