412 Natural history of Arabia. 



state. There is a wild kind called derboun, of a black col- 

 our, wnich is found in the country near Syria, and eaten by 

 the Fellahs. Those which Ali Bey saw at Mecca appeared 

 to be of the shepherd breed ; and as they had no owners 

 they roamed about the streets at pleasure. This animal 

 being declared unclean by the Koran, the Mohammedans 

 will not allow it to enter their houses. Linnaeus, speaking 

 of the dog, says, " a Mahometanis expellitur." In Egypt, 

 they are obliged to resort to the house-tops ; and Burckhardt 

 observes, as a circumstance worthy of remark, that Medina, 

 so far as he knew, was the only town in the East from which 

 they were entirely excluded. They are never admitted 

 within the gates, but must remain in the suburbs, lest they 

 should chance to pollute the sanctity of the mosque. The 

 watchmen assemble and make a regular search once a year 

 for the purpose of driving out such intruders as may have 

 crept into the city unperceived. The Bedouins, as we learn 

 from Sonnini, who are less superstitious than the Turks, 

 have a fine breed of very tall greyhounds, which serve not 

 only for the chase, but likewise mount guard around their 

 tents. They have a great affection for them, and to kill one 

 of these useful domestics incurs a heavy penalty. Keppel, 

 on his route from Korna to Bagdad, saw some of this species : 

 they are beautiful animals, somewhat less in size than- the 

 English ; the ears hang down ; and these, as well as the 

 tail, are covered with fine silky hair. He mentions an odd 

 circumstance, that the Faithful are not allowed to touch a 

 dog except on the crown of the head ; that being the only 

 part free from pollution, as he cannot lick it with his tongue. 

 The cat is held in good repute, from the belief that it was a 

 favourite with Mohammed. It seems to be the same species 

 as the European, only a little smaller. The domestic mouse 

 of the Arabs resembles our own ; but, according to Ali Bey, 

 they are more fierce and troublesome. " I never saw," 

 says he, " any mice so bold as those of Mecca. As I had 

 my bed on the floor, they danced and leaped upon me every 

 night. I gave them some blows, which made them fly." In 

 spite of this warning, however, they returned to the charge 

 and bit his fingers, having been attracted by the smell of 

 gome balm of juniper which he had been handling, and had 

 neglected to wash off. Even when his bed was suspended, 

 these imperturbable vermin leaped from the nearest furniture 



