PYRAMIDS OF SACCARA. 231 
being towards the outside, after the manner in chap. 
which quart bottles are often placed in our ' 
cellars. We took down several of them; but as 
fast as we removed one row, another appeared 
behind it : and, as we w^ere told by the Arahs^ 
such is their prodigious number, that if hun- 
dreds were removed, the space behind them 
would appear similarly filled up. The same 
appearance is presented at the extremities of 
all these galleries, the passages having been, 
cleared only by the removal of the jars. We 
opened several of them in the pit. For the 
most part, the contents of all these vessels were 
the same; but there were some exceptions. 
Generally, after unfolding the linen swathing, 
we found a bird, resembling the English curleiVy 
having a long beak, long legs, and white fea- 
thers tipped with black. It is certainly the 
same bird which Bruce has described", called 
by the Arabs, Ahou Hannes^. In some of these 
(2) See the plate and description of this bird in Brock'*- TravelSy 
vol, v. p. 172. Edin. 1790. 
(3) The only entire specimen of this bird, taken from its embalmed 
state, was obtained from one of the Egyptian jars by Mr. John 
/•earww, Surgeon, of London; who, having carefully removLtl all the 
linen swathing, and every extraneous substance, succeeded in the entire 
developennent of the perfect animal. Mr. Pearson cutnmuuicated his 
observations upon the subject to the Roi/ul Socicti/, among whose 
Trunsactiojis they were published ; accompanied by an engraved 
representatioa 
