1 88 (^U ADRUPEDES. 
and as very few Europeans, none at leaft who’ 
underllood natural hiftory, have travelled into 
thofe parts of Egypt, we know little of the hif- 
tory of this animal ; fuch as have travelled in 
India, have had better opportunities of informing 
themfelves in this matter. The Egyptians very 
feldom bring the hide of it to Cairo; and it is 
impofiible to bring thither the living animal'. A 
hide has been lent to France, which, I am in- 
formed, is preferved in the Royal Menagerie. 
4. The River Horfe does much damage to the Egyp- 
tians, in thofe places he frequents. He goes on 
lliore, and in a Ihort fpace of time deftroys an 
entire field of corn or clover, not leaving the leaft 
verdure as he pafles; for he is voracious, and re- 
quires much to fill his great belly. They have a 
curious manner of freeing themfelves, in fonts 
meafure, from this deftruftive animal : they re- 
mark the places he frequents mod, and there lay 
a large quantity of peas; when the beaft comes 
on lliore, hungry and voracious, he falls to eating 
what is neareft him, and filling his belly with the 
peas, they occafion an infupportable thirft; he 
then returns immediately into the river, and drinks 
upon thefe dry peas large draughts of water? 
which fuddenly caufes his death; for the peas 
foon begin to fwell with the water, and not long 
after the Egyptians find him dead on the Ihore, 
blown up, as if killed with the ftrongeft poifon. 
5. The oftener the River Horfe goes on Ihore, the 
better hopes have the Egyptians of a fufficient 
dwelling or encreafe of the Nile. 
6 . The Egyptians fay, they can almoft diftinguilh 
the food of this animal in his excrements. 
8. Camelu* 
