DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4203#0068
59
REPORT ON ANIMAL MUMMIES.
By Oldfield Thomas, F.Z.S.
60. Mr. Thomas has kindly sent me the
following identifications of the animal mummies
from the catacombs.
Cercopithecus pyrrhonotus, Hempr. and Ehr.
One very imperfect skull appears to be refer-
able to this species.
Cercopithecus sabceus, Linn.
One mummied specimen, which has been
determined by Dr. Anderson with the help of
a Rontgen ray photograph.
Felis chaus, Giild., Felis caligata, Temm.
Among the considerable number of cat re-
mains, two or three skulls evidently belong to
the comparatively large F. chaus. The re-
mainder are provisionally referred to F. caligata,
but differ a good deal among themselves in size.
It is difficult to say whether these differences
are merely due to age and sex, indicate a
difference of species, or—as seems very probable
■—show that the Egyptians had several races
of tame cats, just as in the case of the
dogs.
Herpestes ichneumon, L.
An imperfect mummy, and a large number
of skulls. The ancient skulls seem to average
rather smaller than do modern ones of the same
species, but it is possible that the difference is
due to alteration in the bones induced by in-
cineration, and is not really natural.
Ganis familiaris, L.
Five mummied specimens, and a large number
of skulls and other bones. The majority of the
skulls belong to a dog of about the size of a
spaniel, and suggest the Pariah dog of India,
or the ordinary street dogs of oriental towns.
One skull and one mummy, however, belong to
a much smaller form of about the size of a
terrier.
Lepus, sp.
One lower jaw of a hare is in the collec-
tion. It cannot be exactly determined, but
may be L. segyptiacus.
Gazella. dorcas, L.
Three imperfect skulls, all of females, and
some fragments of horn cores. Of the three
small gazelles, G. dorcas, leptoceros, and Isabella,
which might have been in the possession of the
ancient Egyptians, these fragments appear to
agree most closely with the corresponding part
of G. dorcas, although they are too imperfect
for the determination to be quite certain. Both
67. leptoceros and G. Isabella have decidedly
more convex parietal profiles than the mummied
fragments, while in G. dorcas there seems to be
a fair agreement in this respect. G. dorcas is
REPORT ON ANIMAL MUMMIES.
By Oldfield Thomas, F.Z.S.
60. Mr. Thomas has kindly sent me the
following identifications of the animal mummies
from the catacombs.
Cercopithecus pyrrhonotus, Hempr. and Ehr.
One very imperfect skull appears to be refer-
able to this species.
Cercopithecus sabceus, Linn.
One mummied specimen, which has been
determined by Dr. Anderson with the help of
a Rontgen ray photograph.
Felis chaus, Giild., Felis caligata, Temm.
Among the considerable number of cat re-
mains, two or three skulls evidently belong to
the comparatively large F. chaus. The re-
mainder are provisionally referred to F. caligata,
but differ a good deal among themselves in size.
It is difficult to say whether these differences
are merely due to age and sex, indicate a
difference of species, or—as seems very probable
■—show that the Egyptians had several races
of tame cats, just as in the case of the
dogs.
Herpestes ichneumon, L.
An imperfect mummy, and a large number
of skulls. The ancient skulls seem to average
rather smaller than do modern ones of the same
species, but it is possible that the difference is
due to alteration in the bones induced by in-
cineration, and is not really natural.
Ganis familiaris, L.
Five mummied specimens, and a large number
of skulls and other bones. The majority of the
skulls belong to a dog of about the size of a
spaniel, and suggest the Pariah dog of India,
or the ordinary street dogs of oriental towns.
One skull and one mummy, however, belong to
a much smaller form of about the size of a
terrier.
Lepus, sp.
One lower jaw of a hare is in the collec-
tion. It cannot be exactly determined, but
may be L. segyptiacus.
Gazella. dorcas, L.
Three imperfect skulls, all of females, and
some fragments of horn cores. Of the three
small gazelles, G. dorcas, leptoceros, and Isabella,
which might have been in the possession of the
ancient Egyptians, these fragments appear to
agree most closely with the corresponding part
of G. dorcas, although they are too imperfect
for the determination to be quite certain. Both
67. leptoceros and G. Isabella have decidedly
more convex parietal profiles than the mummied
fragments, while in G. dorcas there seems to be
a fair agreement in this respect. G. dorcas is