1 68 THE SACRED IBIS. 



accuses the Gentiles of changing the glory of the 

 uncorruptible God into an image made like to cor- 

 ruptible man and to birds ; and it was this bird, 

 again, which formed part of the idol abominations 

 alluded to, in the vision of Ezekiel. It is called 

 the Ibis religiosa, or Sacred Ihis ; and is peculiar 

 to Egypt, and the countries bordering on the river 

 Nile, coming down from Ethiopia on the increase 

 of the river; and from this circumstance is named 

 by the Arabs, Abou-mengel, (Father of the Sickle,) 

 in allusion to the fruits of harvest, which are derived 

 from the inundations of the Nile. It feeds on the 

 smaller reptiles, and, as the Arabs still say, on ser- 

 pents, which has by many been supposed the sole 

 cause of its being worshipped by the Egyptians ; 

 but this appears doubtful, and we are inclined, with 

 some other high authorities, to attribute their re- 

 spect for it to another cause, namely, a fancied 

 resemblance to the moon, whether from the curved 

 and crescent shape of its beak, or from the con- 

 trasted colours of black and white, which, in the 

 opinion of an ancient writer* on the subject, made 

 it appear as if marked with a crescent. Now the 

 moon, as well as the sun, was a known object of 

 worship amongst many of the heathen nations, and 

 more especially the Egyptians. Thus Job alludes to 

 it, when he says, If I beheld the sun when it shined, 

 or the moon walking in brightness, and my heart 

 hath been secretly enticed^ or my mouth hath kissed 

 my hand; this also were an iniquity to be punished. 

 Job xxxi. 26, &c. The reason why the Egyptians 



* Plutarch de Iside et Osiride. 



