ships before the sacred tree, and hold sacred symbols; the most common of which is the cone of the pine-tree elevated in the right hand, and a little basket suspended in the left. Occasionally the cone is exchanged for a branch bearing pine-cones and flowers alternately, for a branch of honeysuckle, for a bunch of pomegranates, or an ear of barley. And instead of the basket, the priest sometimes carries a mace, or bears on his left arm, a goat, a fallow deer, or a lamb. Sometimes one on each side of the tree, holds up a goat in the air by the hind leg: at another time one carries a wide flat tray on his head; and at another he holds two ostriches by the necks. Sometimes two priests, without the king, are seen engaged in worship before the sacred tree, presenting the pine-cone and basket, or kneeling on one knee with outspread hands; and occasionally they surround the king, with the same sacred emblems, in company of the eunuchs and officers of the court when he sits in state on the royal throne.

Priests are frequently represented as holding or slaying imaginary or symbolic animals;—perhaps a sphinx, which the priest holds by one fore paw raised high, and prepares to strike with a sword. It is observable that this design, which occurs in the embroidery on a robe, answers to another, almost exactly the same, except that the priest is without wings.

In one instance, figured in the embroidery of the royal robe, a priest is seen holding in each hand a lion by one of its hind legs, while the animals are each seizing with talons and teeth a bull by the

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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 Adrammclech 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

Nisroch,, is derived from nesher, w, an 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