throat. The figure has the peculiarity of being drawn in full face, instead of profile, and the head, which has no cap, is furnished with two crescenthorns.

Generally the winged priests are bearded men; but in one or two instances beardless figures are so represented, which, from the contour of the features, seem not to be eunuchs, but women. Two of these are seen over the sacred tree, similarly robed, capped, and winged to the priests, and bearing daggers stuck in the girdle; each holds the right hand open and elevated, and grasps a rosary or garland in the left. Another holds two sphinxes by one hind leg in each hand, which turn their heads to look at her. Another is encircled by a sort of chain or guilloche of intertwined bands, which she holds up in her hands; it seems to be fastened to fetters around her wrists and ankles, and is attached to each wing. These may possibly be eunuchs after all.

We feel inclined to associate with the sacerdotal office, also, another figure very common in the sculptures, which has attracted considerable attention, the man with the head of a vulture. It was at first thought that this represented the Nisroch, in whose temple Sennacherib was slain, after the miraculous destruction of his

army.

So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead. 2 Kings xix. 36, 37.

This conclusion originated in the supposition that

an נשר ,is derived from nesher נסרך,Nisroch

eagle, which is very doubtful, even if we do not receive Col. Rawlinson's notion of the identity of Nisroch with Assarac. The vulture-headed figure is certainly not a god at all; in every other respect than the head it agrees with the priests already described; it wears the same garments, carries the same symbols, the cone and basket, and performs the same actions, whether of worship or of the slaughter of symbolic animals. But the identity of office between the two forms is indubitably shown by two figures embroidered on the robe of a king.* Each occupies a square compartment, the one answering to the other as a pair. Each kneels on one knee, holding the pine-cone and basket, each is fourwinged, nor is there any difference between them except that the one is vulture-headed, the other is human and wears the sacred one-horned cap.

Occasionally, as in a bas-relief from Khorsabad,† the two forms are associated in worship. The vulture-priest carries the cone and basket, while behind him stands a diademed priest with a pomegranate branch, and the right hand uplifted.

The occipital ridge-like crest shows that the bird intended to be represented is the Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), as a glance at the figure in Mr. Gould's magnificent "Birds of Europe" will prove. This is the common vulture of Western Asia and North Africa, where it is called by the Arabs Rachamah. This is manifestly identical with the of Deut. xiv. 17, translated "gier-eagle;"

* Layard's Mon. of Nin. pl. 50.

Botta, pl. 74 and 75.

We would venture to suggest the probability that both the wings and the vulture-head were parts of

the priestly dress, so formed as to be put on or off as occasion required.*

What was the purport of the individual symbols or utensils, used in the religious services, so frequently depicted on the monuments, it would be difficult if not impossible now to ascertain. The cone of the cypress and the honeysuckle tree were connected with the worship of Mylitta, the oriental Venus, to whom the pomegranate among fruits was sacred; no blood was offered to her, but living animals of the male sex, especially kids. The presentation of a branch of flowers and fruits, so frequent in these acts of adoration may be alluded to in a passage of Sacred Writ which has given rise to some conjecture among critics.

Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger : and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Ezek. viii. 17.

The basket commonly carried in the left hand of the ministering priest may possibly have contained incense, or else the cakes of dough which formed at prominent part of the offerings in the worship of Venus.

The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Jer. vii. 18.

*Herodotus tells us that the oriental Ethiopians in Xerxes' army wore on their heads masks made of the skins of horses' heads, stripped off with the ears and mane; the mane serving for a crest, and the ears standing erect.-Herod. vii. 70.