BOGOS, bo'gerz, a people of Abyssinia, occupying a district in the highlands north of Abyssinia, now part of the Italian colony of Eritria. The land is intersected by the broad and beautiful valley of the Anseba, and com prises on the west the elevated and hilly region as far as the sources of the Barca, and on the east the slopes of the plateau of Mensa. The climate and vegetation are similar to those of Abyssinia. The rainy season lasts from March to September, when the Anseba overflows its banks and fertilizes the valley through which it flows. There is a great variety both in the flora and the fauna of the country. Large baobab trees, sycamores and tamarinds overshadow the banks of the Anseba, which are rendered almost impassable by the number of Euphorbia and creeping plants. At the same time there are to be found rhinoceroses, elephants, wild boars, buffaloes, antelopes, lions, leopards, wildcats, jackals, wolves, etc., in great numbers. The
population is only about 10,000, which is en gaged in, agriculture and the raising of cattle, and carries on a trade with the neighboring places in corn,' butter, ivory, skins, buffalo horns and ostrich-feathers. Their language, which is akin to the Agow, is called by them selves Bilin. Their countenance is Greek in its contour, their body light, powerful and well formed; the color of their skin dark olive brown; their lips are thin, the cheekbones not prominent and they have generally bushy whiskers. The patriarchal institutions of the Bogos are peculiar. The members of each union of families are pledged to apprehend any one of their number who is charged with the commission of a crime. The laws relating to dowries, inheritance and murder are regularly codified. The religion is the Christian, but Mohammedanism, which is increasing, has a considerable number of adherents.