DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11636#0331
AND LOWER EGYPT. 3d
tinues he, " is a species of wild pig, very pretty,
" and easily tamed, the hair of which is bristled
" like a porcupine *." Thus is this rat trans-
formed into a little pig, &c. &c. ; it must be ad-
mitted that such authorities as these have very
little weight in natural history.
This species of tortoise is to be found only in the
Upper Nile, to which crocodiles are confined. To
convey an idea of the advantage with which this
thirse of the Egyptians and Nubians wages war
with the crocodile, I shall relate an observation,
certified to me by persons of Thebai's, of undoubted
veracity on other occasions. It is, that they have
been in a situation to remark, that out of fifty
young crocodiles, the produce of one hatching,
seven only had escaped the thirse. To this ani-
mal, therefore, Egypt is particularly indebted for a
very sensible decrease of a species of reptiles, as
hideous from their form, as dangerous from the fe-
rocity of their disposition. On this account, it
would have merited, by a juster claim than the
mongouste, to be the god of the ancient Egyp-
tians, and the wonder of travellers who publish.
But this valuable race of testaceous animals must
likewise have its enemies ; for it is not multiplied
to the degree that it ought to be, considering the
fecundity of the genus. May not the mangouste
* Descript. de l'Egypte, partie ii, page 33d 34.
herself
tinues he, " is a species of wild pig, very pretty,
" and easily tamed, the hair of which is bristled
" like a porcupine *." Thus is this rat trans-
formed into a little pig, &c. &c. ; it must be ad-
mitted that such authorities as these have very
little weight in natural history.
This species of tortoise is to be found only in the
Upper Nile, to which crocodiles are confined. To
convey an idea of the advantage with which this
thirse of the Egyptians and Nubians wages war
with the crocodile, I shall relate an observation,
certified to me by persons of Thebai's, of undoubted
veracity on other occasions. It is, that they have
been in a situation to remark, that out of fifty
young crocodiles, the produce of one hatching,
seven only had escaped the thirse. To this ani-
mal, therefore, Egypt is particularly indebted for a
very sensible decrease of a species of reptiles, as
hideous from their form, as dangerous from the fe-
rocity of their disposition. On this account, it
would have merited, by a juster claim than the
mongouste, to be the god of the ancient Egyp-
tians, and the wonder of travellers who publish.
But this valuable race of testaceous animals must
likewise have its enemies ; for it is not multiplied
to the degree that it ought to be, considering the
fecundity of the genus. May not the mangouste
* Descript. de l'Egypte, partie ii, page 33d 34.
herself