The animal world, particularly in its wild mem bers, presents an interesting field of observation. The Numidian lion still retains its ancient charac ter of strength and ferocity. To guard against its attacks, the villages and encampments are surround ed with a species of palisade, and upon the slightest alarm, large fires are kindled ; yet these multiplied precautions are not always sufficient to present the irruption of this lord of the forests. The animal called here a tiger is in reality only a panther. Wild boars are very numerous, and the hunting of them affords a favourite amusement. The hyaena is commoh, and is called the chebbah. Jackson men tions an animal, called the aoudad, which inhabits the most lofty and precipitous regions of the Atlas; but,• on account of its rugged and inaccessible haunts, has never been sufficiently observed or described. The antelope, or gazel,-from its beauty, is the favourite of the Arabs. The Barbary females paint their 'eyes with a preparation of lead called Elkahol-filelly, in order that they may rival the largeness and black ness of those of the gazel. Gazel here, as angel with us, is the most flattering epithet that can be applied to female beauty. Although the antelope be the swiftest of all animals, he is soon fatigued, so that the greyhound at length comes up with him. The flesh is valued, and is similar to venison. Among the smaller animals, the most noted are the jerboa and Pill, which are about the size of a rat, burrow in the ground, and afford agreeable food. • Among birds, the. chief is the ostrich, an often described species, and which occurs along the whole northern border of the desert. Those about We dinoon and Cape Bojador are said to be the largest, and to have the finest feathers of any in the world. The feathers form a considerable article in the com merce of morocco.
The serpent species is very numerous. The great Boa Constrictor is frequently found in the Sahara. It is not poisonous, and destroys merely by its im mense strength and ferocity‘ There are several species, which contain a very active poison; but these, Dr Shaw conceives, do not exist in that great variety which is enumerated by ancient writers. There are also domestic serpents, which are of a more harmless nature, are never molested, and held even in a kind of veneration. The most destructive of this class are the scorpions, which swarm to such a degree, that, in summer, they are often found in the beds. It is believed in Morocco, that the flesh of this animal affords a cure for its bite ; and most of the inhabitants, on that account, keep a battle of scorpions preserved in olive oil. Shaw observes, that those of Algiers and Tunis, to the north of the Atlas, are not very noxious, causing only a slight inflammation and fever, but that, in the Sahara, they are much larger, and their venom more malignant.
The insect tribe, in this country. presents a much more terrible enemy, the locust. This de structive insect is bred on the confines of the desert; but at irregular intervals, impelled by some unknown cause, its swarms take their direction towards the cultivated regions. They move in vast bodies, and with an order which resembles that of regular armies. The march is all in one direction, led by a chief, called by the natives Sultan Jeraad. All attempts to stop their course by digging deep pits, or by kindling fires, have proved abortive. The foremost, indeed, fall victims to these means of an noyance ; but the vast mass behind, undismayed by the fate of their forerunners, continue to pour on, file after file, in close and uninterrupted succes sion. The fires are extinguished ; the pits are filled
up; and the husbandman abandons in despair every attempt to arrest their progress. Every thing green 'is thoroughly consumed ; and the fields, from being clad in all the verdure of spring, assume at once the aspect of wintry desolation. This scourge some times continues for several years, and is not unfre quently followed by the still more terrible evil of plague. It forms a very inconsiderable compensa• tion to the inhabitants, that they use the locusts as food; and, in that view, regard them even as a deli cacy.
The domestic animals do not differ materially from those of Europe, with the exception of the camel, which, though frequent in Barbary, belongs more pro perly to the desert. The excellence of'the horse was formerly the boast of Numidia ; and Barbary horses have been highly valued, even in modern times. But the breed is said to have degenerated, chiefly in con sequence of the best horses being liable to be seized by persons in power. The ass, and still more the mule, are the animals chiefly employed in labour. The cows are small, and produce little milk. The sheep fed on the Atlas are often of exquisite flavour. The wool being left entirely to nature, is of various quality, some of it coarse, but some very fine. The goats of Morocco produce that species of leather, the softness and pliability of which make it to be held in such high estitnation.
After surveying the aspect of nature, our attention is next drawn to the ruins of ancient art. The whole extent of Algiers and Tunis, and even deep into the desert, is covered with the most superb mo numents of Roman grandeur. Constantine (the an - cient Cirta), Spaitla (Suffetula), El Gemme, and many other places, exhibit specimens of the architec ture of that people in its highest perfection. The temple at Spaitla is considered by Bruce as the most perfect example of the composite order existing. It seems matter of regret, as well as of surprise, con sidering the general interest taken in these objects, that the drawings made by Bruce, or , under his direction, said to be very fine, should never have been given to the _public. The remains of CarEhage are en tirely subterraneous ; yet these still convey an idea of the greatness and industry of that celebrated people. Of that immense aqueduct which conveyed water to the city from the distance of sixty miles, many hun dred arches are still to be seen, and several cisterns, nearly entire, are used as habitations by the Arabs. A few years ago, in digging among the ruins of Utica, some labourers found a number of beautiful statues, some mutilated, but others in complete preservation. Among them were two statues of Tiberius and Augus tus, the former very finely executed, and four female figures, two of them exquisite specimens of Grecian sculpture. The spirit of antiquarian research seems to be active among the Christian inhabitants of Tunis ; and many, even of the poorer classes, are said to be in possession of medals, engraved stones, and other curiosities. These, however, by being dis persed, are in some .measure lost to the public. M. Fagan, the British consul at Palermo, lately ap plied for permission to make excavations, which would no doubt he obtained, provided an adequate pecu niary compensation were offered. In that case, very interesting discoveries would probably.be made.