1.70 ABYSSINIA. 



deep of Bavbary and Syria, who are heard hunting in great numbers, 

 and howling in the evening and morning. The wild boar, smaller and 

 smoother in the hair than that of Barbary or Europe, but differing in 

 nothing else, is n*,et frequently in swamps or banks of rivers covered 

 with wood. 



The elephant, rhinoceros, giraffa, or camelopardalis, are inhabitants 

 of the low hot country ; nor is the lion, leopard, or saadh, which is the 

 panther, seen in the high and cultivated country. The hippopotamus 

 and crocodile, abound in ail the rivers, not only of Abyssinia, but as 

 low down as Nubia and Egypt. There are many of the ass kind in 

 the low country towards the frontiers of Atbara, but no zebras ; these 

 are the inhabitants of Fazuelo and Narea. 



But of all the other quadrupeds, there is none exceeds the hyaena 

 for its merciless ferocity. They were a plague, says our author, 

 speaking of these animals, in Abyssinia, in every situation, both in 

 the city and the field, and I think surpassed the sheep in number. 

 Gondar was full of them from the time it turned dark till the dawn 

 of day, seeking the different pieces of slaughtered carcasses, which 

 this cruel and unclean people expose in the streets without burial. 



It is a constant observation in Numidia, that the lion avoids and flies 

 from the face of man, till by some accident they have been brought to 

 engage, and the beast has prevailed against him ; then that feeling of 

 superiority imprinted by the Creator in the heart of all animals for 

 man's preservation, seems to forsake him. The lion, having once 

 tasted human blood, relinquishes the pursuit after the flock. He re- 

 pairs to some highway or frequented path, and has been known, in 

 the kingdom of Tunis, to interrupt the road to a market for several 

 weeks ; and in this he persists till hunters or soldiers are sent out to 

 destroy him. 



The number of birds in Abyssinia exceeds that of other animals 

 beyond proportion. The high and low countries are equally stored 

 with them : the first kind are the carnivorous birds. Many species of 

 the eagle and hawk, many more still of the vulture kind, as it were, 

 overstock all parts of the country. That species of glede called 

 hadgdaya, so frequent in Egypt, comes very punctually into Ethiopia, 

 at the return of the sun, after the tropical rains. The nissar, or 

 golden eagle, is not only the largest of the eagle kind, but one of the 

 largest birds that flies. From wing to wing he is eight feet four 

 inches. The black eagle, rachama, erkoom, moroc, sheregrig, and 

 waalia, are particularly described by the historian of Abyssinia, to 

 Avhose celebrated work we refer the reader who is desirous of infor- 

 mation concerning them. 



There is no great plenty of water-fowl in Abyssinia, especially of 

 the web-footed kind. Vast variety of storks cover the plains in May, 

 when the rains become consta it. All the deep and grassy bogs have 

 snipes in them ; and there are swallows of many kinds unknown in 

 Europe: those that are common in Europe appear in passage at the 

 A*ery season when they take their flight from thence. There are few 

 owls in Abyssinia, but those are of an immense size and beauty. 

 There are no geese, wild or tame, excepting what is called the Golden 

 Goose; Goose of the Nile, or Goose of the Cape, common in all the 

 south of Africa ; these build their ryssts upon trees, and, when not in 

 water, generally sit upon them. 



From the class of insects, we shall select the most remarkable, viz. 

 the tsaltsalya, or fly, which is an insect that furnishes a striking proof 



