454 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARABIA. 



metanis expellitur." In Egypt, they are obliged to resort 

 to the house-tops ; and Burckhardt observes as a circum- 

 stance 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 watch- 

 men 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 favour- 

 ite 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 AH 

 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 leapt upon 

 me every night. I gave them some blows, which made 

 them fly." In spite of this warning, however, they re- 

 turned to the charge and bit his fingers, having been at- 

 tracted by the smell of some balm of juniper which he had 

 been handling, and had neglected to wash off. Even 

 when his bed was suspended, these imperturbable vermin 

 leapt from the nearest furniture on the coverlid and quietly 

 stared him in the face, but would not permit themselves 

 to be touched. 



Birds. Travellers have had but few opportunities of 

 examining the winged tribes of Arabia ; though that coun- 

 try is by no means deficient in the number or variety 

 which it produces. In the fertile districts, tame fowls 

 are very plentiful, and all sorts of poultry, hens, ducks. 



