The Birds of the Assyrian Monuments and Records. 69 
likely to be affected by similar natural phenomena, 1 only 
presenting modified forms of the same ideas, and when 
we reflect how eagerly, patiently, and religiously the old 
star-gazing people of Chaldea studied the various aspects 
of the heavens, and the forms of various animals, we 
may readily imagine that they too had their mythological 
systems, which admit of an explanation similar to that of 
Indo-European legend; indeed, as Mr. Sayce ("Chaldean 
Genesis," p. 123, ed. 1880) has shown, the story of the god 
Lugalturda, who was transformed into a Zu bird, or " divine 
storm-bird," for stealing the destiny tablets, is only another 
edition of the old Hellenic legend of Prometheus, who stole 
the lightning from heaven. The historical development of 
mythology among the Hebrews has been treated by Dr. Gold- 
zieher, and though one may hesitate to adopt some of his 
theories and explanations, he has abundantly shown that the 
Semitic mind was able, if not always to invent, at least to 
appropriate with modifications certain pre-existing ideas, and 
that Hebrew myth enters deeply into many of their stories. 
But the admission of the mythical element in any account 
relating to birds or other animals by no means implies the 
necessary elimination of all natural history matter of fact, or 
frustrates the attempt to identify the creature. The animal, 
from some peculiarity in habit, colour, form, or other character, 
in fact created the myth or the superstition held with regard 
to it. The large size and fierce aspect of the great owl, for 
instance, produced in the Accadian mind the idea of majesty; 
hence it was called " the prince." 2 Its melancholy voice and 
nocturnal habits suggested the idea of " bird of evil," or 
" bird of the deity so-and-so." Owls from time immemorial 
have been regarded as foreboders of death and disaster. The 
expressions of Virgil, "ferali carmine Bubo," " feralia Bubo 
1 Goldzieher (Introd., p. xvi, R. Martineau's Translation, 1877) has well 
expressed this idea in the following words : "I start from the conviction that 
the Myth is something universal, that the faculty of forming it cannot d priori 
be denied to any race as such, and that the coincidence of mythical ideas and 
modes of expression is the result of the uniformity of the psychological process 
which is the foundation of the creation of myths in all race9." 
2 According to M. Littr6, this owl received its names of Due from its being 
thought to have served as a guide to other birds. We have already seen that the 
Accadian Jchusi means "a pilot," or " steerer." 
