ZEMER. In our version of Deut. xiv. 5 -Int, zenzer, is rendered Chamois ; Sept. KapnAorcip BaXa ; Vulg. Cantelofiardalus ; Luther, in his Ger man translation, adopts Elend, or ` Elk ;' and the old Spanish version, from the Hebrew, has Cabra montes.'* All, however, understand zenzer to be a clean ruminant ; but it is plain that the Mosaic enumeration of clean animals would not include such as were totally out of the reach of the Hebrew people, and at best only known to them from speci mens seen in Egypt, consisting of presents sent from Nubia, or in pictures on the walls of temples. The Camelopardalis or Giraffe is exclusively an inhabitant of Southern Africa, and therefore could not come in the way of the people of Israel. The same objection applies to the Elk, because that species of deer never appears further to the south than northern Germany and Poland ; and with regard to the Chamois, which has been adopted in our version, though it did exist in the mountains of Greece, and is still found in Central Asia, there is no vestige of its having at any time frequented Libanus or any other part of Syria. We may, therefore, with more propriety refer to the rumi nants indigenous in the regions which were in 0- z contemplation of the sacred legislator, and we niay commence by observing that zemer, is a term which, in the slightly altered form of rammer, is still used in Persia and India for any large species of ruminants, particularly those of the stag kind, which are commonly denominated Rusa, a sub genus of deer established in Griffith's tmnslation of Cuvier's Animal Kinga'om. In the sacred text, however, the word zemer is not generical, but strictly specific. All, or stag„' is mentioned at the same time, and, as well as several Antilo pidre, in the same verse ; we must, therefore, look for an animal not hitherto noticed, and withal sufficiently important to merit being named in so important an ordinance.
The only species that seems to answer to the conditions required is a wild sheep, still not un common in the Molcattam rocks near Cairo, found in Sinai, and eastward in the broken ridges of Stony Arabia, where it is known under the name of Kebsch, a slight mutation of the old Hebrew 1Z,Z, Cheseb, or rather VA= Chebes, which is applied indeed to a domestic sheep, one that grazed ; while Zenter appears to be detived from a root denoting to crop' or feed on shrubs.'
This animal is frequently represented and hiero' glyphically named on Egyptian monuments, but we question if the denomination itself be phoneti cally legible. The figures in colour leave no doubt that it is the same as the Kebsch of the modem Arabs, and a species or a variety of Ovis trag-e laphus, or bearded sheep, lately. formed into a separate group by Mr. Blyth under the name of Ammotragus barbatus. The Spanish version of the Hebrew text, before quoted, appears alone to be admissible, for although the species is not strictly a goat, it is intermediate between that genus and the sheep. It is a fearless climber, and secure on its feet, among the sharpest and most elevated ridges. In stature the animal exceeds a large domestic sheep, though it is not more bulky of body. Instead of wool, it is covered with close fine rufous hair : from the throat to the breast, and on the upper arms above the knees there is abund ance of long loose reddish hair, forming a compact protection to the knees and brisket, and indicating that the habits of the species require extraordinary defence while sporting among the most rugged cliffs ; thus making the name Zemer, one that springeth,' if that interpretation be trustworthy, remarkably correct. The head and face are per fectly ovine, the eyes are bluish, and the hams, of a yellowish colour, are set on as in sheep ; they rise obliquely, and are directed backwards and outwards, with the points bending downwards. The tail, about nine inches long, is heavy and round. It is the Moufion d'Afrique and Mouflon a Manchettes of French writers, probably identical with the Tragelaphus of Caius, whose specimen came from Barbary. See bearded Argali in Griffith's Animal Kingdom of Cuvier. We figure a specimen in the Paris Museum and one in Wil kinson's Egypt, vol. iii. p. 19.—C. H. S.