OR GAZELLES. 437 



the pafan and ahn, which produce the bezoar in 

 Perfia, and that in India this Hone is likewife 

 found in the gazelles. Chardin remarks, that the 

 oriental bezoar is found in the bucks and fhe- 

 goats, both wild and domeftic, along the Periic 

 Gulf, and in feveral provinces of India ; but that, 

 in Perfia, it is alio extracted from the wedders. 

 The Dutch travellers alfo affert *, that it is pro- 

 duced in the ftomachs of ihtep and goats. Ta- 

 vernier, who is flill more politive in favour of 

 the domeftic goats, fays, that their hair is as fine 

 as filk, and that, having purchafed fix of thefe 

 goats alive, he extracted from them feventeen 

 entire bezoars, and a piece of another as large 

 as half a filberd nut. He then adds, that there 

 are other bezoars fuppofed to proceed from apes, 

 whofe virtues are Mill ftronger than thofe of the 

 goat-bezoars ; that they are alfo extracted from 

 cows ; but the virtues of thefe are inferior, &c. 

 What can be inferred from this variety of evi- 

 dence and opinions, unlefs it be allowed that the 



oriental 



* In the ifland of Bofner, we find the famous bezoar ftonc, 

 which is very precious and in great requeft, on account of its 

 virtue againlt poifon. It is formed, in the ftomachs of fheep 

 or goats, round a fmall puftule or protuberance in the middle 

 of the ftomach, and which is found in the ftone itfelf. . . . 

 A conjecture has been formed, that the bezoar which proceeds 

 from the ftomach of the flieep, and the gall bladder ftone 

 of the hog, are produced by the operation of fome particu- 

 lar herbs eaten by thefe animals. But they are found in all 

 the countries of the Eaft-Indies, though thefe animals feed 

 promifcuoufly upon herbage of every kind. See Voyage de la 

 Compagn. des Indes de Hollande, torn. z.p. 121. and alfo Le Voy- 

 age ae Mandeljlo, torn. Z.p 364. 



