OKAPI AND “THAHASH” OF THE JEWS. 259 
Bably, Tractat Sabbath,’ 28b: Rabbi Myer said, ‘‘ The animal 
‘Thahash,’ which lived at the time of Moses, was of a particular 
species, and the scientists were unable to decide whether it was 
a species of cattle or of wild beast. It had one horn on tts fore- 
head. It was discovered by Moses at that time. Moses had 
used its skin for the Tabernacle, and it disappeared afterwards.” 
In ‘Talmud-Jerusalmy, Tractat Sabbath,’ p. 18, we find the 
following discussion: ‘‘ What is to be understood by ‘ Thahash’ ? 
Rabbi Yehudah said ‘Tainun’; it means the colour of the 
cover. Rabbi Nehemiah said ‘ Galaktania,’ 7.e. ‘ Weasel’ or 
' *Marten,’ of the skins of which the cover was made. All other 
Rabbis said it meant the name of the animal, and a clean 
animal.” In ‘Midrass Tanhoumah’ (portion Troumah) we 
read: ‘‘ Rabbi Yehudah said the ‘Thahash’ belonged to the 
section of clean animals; it was a big animal of the steppe, and 
had one horn on its forehead, and its skin was of six colours.” It 
is evident that this Rabbi takes the translation of ‘“‘Onkoloss”’ 
by ‘‘Sossgavna” as “sess” (six) ‘‘gavna” (colours). Rabbi 
Nehemiah said: ‘‘ This animal was a miraculous creature; it 
was purposely created for the adornment of the Tabernacle, and 
as soon as its calling was fulfilled it was taken from the world.” 
In ‘Midrasz Koheleth’ (paragraph 80) we find the following: 
** What is to be understood by ‘Thahash’? Rabbi Yehudah said : 
‘ Altania’ (blue coloured) ; Rabbi Nehemiah said: ‘ Glaktania’ 
(Weasel or Marten).”’ 
From all this it is evident that the Talmudists, relying on 
traditions and religious precepts, considered the ‘‘ Thahash”’ to 
be a clean animal—i.e. a ruminating one—with parted hoofs, 
and that it was of a beautiful colour and had one horn on its 
forehead. All these marks are found again on the recently re- 
discovered ‘‘Okapi,” although it had since that time disappeared. 
I add some remarks in my correspondence with the zoologist, 
Georg Krause, of Berlin:—I am sure that the Commentators 
who took ‘‘ Thahash” (plural ‘‘ Thoshim’’) as describing a certain 
colour (among them the Septuagint, the, Vulgate, and Josephus, 
Antiq. ili. vi. i.) have erred like the others who translated it by 
 **Badger”’ (Luther and most others),* or by ‘“‘ Dolphin” (Dr. 
* It 1s worthy to be noted that Luther translated ‘*Thahash” in 
Exodus xxv. 5, by ‘‘ Badger,” and in Exekiel xvi. 10, by ‘“‘ morocco.” 
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