Analysis of Wines from Asia Minor, Palestine, fyc. 249 



RUMINANTIA. 



Bovidm, 6fc. 



38. Bos taurus, Linn., Ox. 



39. B. Americanus, Gmel., Bison. 



40. Ovis aries, Linn., Sheep. 



41. Capra hircus, Linn., Goat. 



Cervidce. 



42. Cervus Virginianus, Gmel., Deer. 



43. C. Canadensis, Briss., Elk. 



Art. IV. — Analysis of Wines from Palestine, Syria, and Asia 

 Minor, and of specimens of American Cider ; by Prof. Ed- 

 ward Hitchcock, LL. D. of Amherst College. 



It is well known that in the discussions which have arisen in 

 this country and England on the subject of temperance, much 

 has been said respecting the character of the wines described in 

 the Bible and other ancient writings. By some it was maintain- 

 ed, " that few if any of the wines of antiquity were alcoholic ;" 

 " that the strongest grape-wines of the ancients had in them a 

 less quantity of alcohol than our common table beer ;" " that of 

 one hundred and ninety five kinds of wine used by the Romans 

 in Pliny's time, only one was alcoholic ;" " that amongst the 

 Jews in Judea, there was a real difficulty, from chemical and 

 natural causes, in the making and preserving any wines except 

 the unfermented ;" "that the wines of Palestine were not alco- 

 holic," &c. (Anti- Bacchus.) A vast amount of curious learning 



39. The evidence I have of the former existence of the bison in this county is, 

 that several skulls, with the nucleus of the horns attached, have been ploughed 

 up in our alluvial fields. They have all been found in an advanced state of de- 

 composition. 



42. The deer is seldom seen in this county at present, except some that are do- 

 mesticated. It was formerly common game. 



43. An elk was killed not far from Richmond about the year 1811. The horns 

 of the elk have been found in our woods in various states of decay. One in my 

 possession, originally between five and six feet long, was obtained within three 

 miles of Richmond, and was sufficiently sound to induce the former owner to saw 

 off the ends of the branches for knife-handles. Elkhorn, a water-course near 

 Richmond, received its name from the number of these horns found upon its banks. 



Vol. xlvi, No. 2.— Jan.-March, 1844. 32 



