F ig . 246.«i
A fourth (Fig. 245), in the. act of
slaying a gazelle.
Here is a noble brace (Fig, 246),
with the antelope they have captured,
and their groom, returning to the
kennel.
This (Fig. 247) is a variety of the
same hound, pensively awaiting his
dinner, about 4000 years ago.
Fig. 247.432
The Hound.
Like the grey-hound, the blood, stag, and fox hounds, present many forms; and it is
impossible, at the present day, to say whether they are varieties of one species, or
whether they are derived from several«primitive species. As far back as history can
trace hounds, there seems to have been several very distinct animals of this kind. Our
Egyptian monuments abound in hunting-scenes, in which hounds are represented in
pursuit of wild animals of various kinds. These scenes are drawn oftentimes with great
spirit; and the truthfulness of the delineations cannot be questioned, because they
are perfectly true to nature at the present day, as will be seen by the subjoined
drawings.
Fig. 243.428 Tliis leash of hounds (Fig;
243) presents two varieties
of the African blood-hound;
one with erect, the other with
drooping ears. They belonged
to R o ti’s hunting-
establishment, about the 22d
century before Christ, at Be-
ni-Hassan.
In Rosellini’s colored copy
of the same couple, here reduced
in size, the off-dog is
painted brick-dust; the near one is a light chestnut, with black patches.
Another of the same choice breed (Fig. 244), in full gaze.
F ig . 2 4 4 .4 ‘ F ig . 245.430
These hounds are a few specimens, selected from the several works of Lepsius,
Rosellini, and Wilkinson. We could easily add a hundred more, not less characteristic.
It is truly wonderful to compare these delineations, commencing as far back as the
Xllth dynasty (twenty-third century B. 0.), and extending down for 1000 years, with
the common fox-hound and stag-hound of the present day— still more, with the Afri-
can blood-hound.
In the Grand Procession of Thotmes III. (1550 b. o,), several of them are associated
with the people and productions of the interior of Africa.433 Again, in a later tomb
at Goumeh, near Thebes, figured by ChampolUon. Dr. Morton says — “ If we compare
the oldest of these delineations, viz., those of Beni-Hassan, with the blood-hounds
of Africa lately living in the Tower Menagerie in London, we cannot deny their identity,
so complete is the resemblance of form and instinct.” 434
“ On reading Mr. Birch’s * Observations on the Statistical Table of Kamac’ (p. 56),
I was much pleased to find this hound designated, beyond all question, in a letter of •
Candace, Queen of Ethiopia, to Alexander the Great, in which the former, among other
presents to the Macedonian king, sends ‘ ninety dogs which hunt men ’ — canes etiam
in homines efferacissimos nonaginta. And, that nothing may be necessary in explanation,
the Queen further designates them as ‘ animals of our country.’ ”
The same hlood-hounds, therefore, of which tribute was sent from the Upper Nile, in
the sixteenth century b . c., had preserved their blood pure, down to B. c. 325, just as
it is found at this day, in the same regions, after 3400 years.
Turnspit [Q. Vertagus.)
Wilkinson, Blainville, Martin, and all, I believe, are agreed upon the identity of
this dog. The portrait (Fig. 248), and others
of the same well-marked character, are faithful
representatives of the modern turnspit, which
is still common in Asia and Europe.
The figure above is from the tomb of R oti, at
Beni-Hassan, in the twenty-third century before
Christ.
To the same ante-Abrahami'c age (the Xllth
dynasty) belongs this slut (Fig. 249), who stands
under her master’s chair, in his tomb at Elr
Bersheh, Middle Egypt. She is another speciesj
but we hesitate in ascribing to it a name: although
the common-dog of the Nile approaches
nearest to the design.437
Not only have we various other forms of dogs
on the monuments of Egypt as far back as the
Xllth dynasty, which, to our mind, cannot, from
mere outline drawings, be satisfactorily identified
with any of our European or American races; but, as we have shown, there also
exist, in abundance, representations of wolves, jackals, hyenas, and foxes, each and all
of which have been supposed to be progenitors
of our domestic dogs— just as Fig. 250.438
N oah is said, by the same school of
naturalists, to be the father of Jews,
Australians, White-men, Mongols, Negroes,
American aborigines, &c.
Wolves.
As this animal has, by the majority
of old-school naturalists, been believed
to be the original parent of all dogs, we
Fig. 24S.435
Fig. 249.436