and other Birds found in Egypt, 181 



and a host of other deities, must have enjoyed unbounded 

 freedom and protection ; and it is a curious circumstance 

 now-a-days, with reference to this species, that as it is one 

 of the most common rapacious birds of Egypt, so is it far 

 tamer in that country than anywhere else I have noticed. 

 Can the feeling of security which pervaded the old race be 

 still lingering on ? It is not evident why other than sacred 

 birds should have been jjreserved ; but as the process of 

 embalming was almost exclusively confined to the priest- 

 hood, who seem to have followed out whatever practices 

 their own fancies suggested, they most probably gave direc- 

 tions that all dead animals should be brought to their 

 temples, without reference to individual species, which, 

 among the hawks especially, is not always very easily 

 determined. 



The circumstance that, even on ceasing to occupy its 

 position as a sacred bird, not one Ibis remained in the 

 country — which ought not to have been the case had 

 the climate, &c., been suited to its habits and constitu- 

 tion — surely goes some length to show that the bird 

 was a foreigner, and, when left to its own resources, soon 

 pined away and died ; possibly the cold of winter tried it 

 most, when it had been accustomed to withdraw more from 

 under the ample shelter of the temples and among the 

 dwellings of the natives. Besides, the artificial habits ac- 

 quired by a long domestic condition had rendered the spe- 

 cies in many respects almost akin to poultry ; although, as 

 far as the mummied specimens go, there is every appear- 

 ance in the development of the bones and muscles of the 

 wdngs to lead to the belief that tlie bird could make good 

 use of these organs. 



Note. — The following notes on the beetles found in the gizzards of the 

 specimens of Ibis unrolled by Dr Adams have been supplied by the kindness 

 of Andrew Murray, Esq., and will be read with considerable interest : — 



" The contents of the gizzards submitted to me consisted of small lumps of 

 bituminous matter containing numerous fragments of insects. The numbers 

 of individuals which these represented must have been very considerable. 

 There were ten heads of a large species of Calosoma, besides a corresponding- 

 quantity of fragments of other parts of the body. There was a tibia of 

 Ateuchus sacer (a large insect), several legs of large Pimelias and Blaps, and 

 a multitude of debris of smaller insects. 



NEW SERIES. VOL. XIX. NO. II. APRIL 1864. 2 A 



