The Birds of the Assyrian Monuments and Records. 133 
Plate IX. The three birds on the ground amongst the trees are evidently 
pigeons ; the artist here has been more successful than usual in bird 
delineation ; the attitudes of the pigeons are well expressed and true 
to nature, while the middle figure shows the characteristic fleshy skin 
of the upper mandible. The building is probably a dove-house ; the 
drawing may be compared with that given by Professor Kawlinson 
of "pigeon towers near Isfahan," in his Ancient Monarchies, II, 
p. 297. The long-tailed birds may be meant for magpies, the others 
for francolins which, with partridges, are readily captured. 
Plate X. The drawing on the left hand represents a " duck- weight" formed 
of greenstone ; the bird is shown with its head bent upon its back, in 
its attitude of sleeping or resting. There are many of these duck- 
weights in the British Museum, varying from 40 lbs. to about a 
pennyweight, and made of agate, marble, baked clay, &c. The attitude 
of the duck with its head on its back would seem to indicate that 
this bird in a domesticated or semi-domesticated state was known to 
the Assyrians. The ends of bows have the figure-head of a swan or 
duck. The bird-figures on the panier or basket frequently represented 
on the Assyrian sculptures, appear to be those of a dove ; but they 
may be almost anything else in bird form. 
Plate XI. Figures of the ostrich from ornaments and cylinders. The central 
drawings, as well as those on the left, at the bottom of the plate 
exhibit the bisulcous form of the ostrich's foot ; this would show that 
all the figures are intended for this bird, and not for the bustard, 
the only other bird of somewhat similar form with which the Assyrians 
would be acquainted. The ostrich is occasionally depicted on the 
monuments with outspread wings in rapid flight on foot, which may 
illustrate the remark of Xenophon : "it uses its feet for running as 
well as its wings, which it raises like a sail" (uxnrep iotu$ xpw/zEi^). 
Anab., I, v, 3. 
Plate XII. A very conventional drawing of some bird of prey, as shown by the 
claws ; the general form reminds one of the raven ; but considering 
the character of the claws, possibly the Egyptian vulture may be 
intended ; but the whole figure is ideal, and perhaps therefore not 
intended for any special bird. 
