weight can be attached to his opinion. This animal is sought after by the hunters on account of the skin, which is much used in Arabia for shields; as also for its horns, which form a valuable article of barter throughout the East, being in great demand for making handles to swords and daggers. From the generally small size of the horns which are exported, it seems that the natives seldom kill the animal when at its full growth; Mr. Pearce has lately sent me one pair, however, the foremost of which measured two feet in length, and this was considered as the largest ever seen at Antálo.
The buffalo, (gōshee, T. gōsh, A.,) is common in the forests of Ras el Fil. Its skin is employed for the purpose of making shields, in the construction of which much art is displayed; and a handsome one, well shaped and seasoned, will sell in the country for four and five dollars.
The Zebra, or Zecora, is found chiefly in the southern provinces. The mane of this animal is in great demand for making a particular kind of collar, which is fixed on state days, as an ornament, round the necks of the war-horses belonging to the chiefs. The privilege of wearing this ornament appears to be confined to only a few of the principal men, which may perhaps, however, only proceed from its scarcity. The wild ass, possibly the Quacha, (erge gudam, T.—ebuda hiyah, A.) is found in the same districts as the Zecora.
Lions, (ambāsā, T.A.) are occasionally to be met with in sandy districts bordering on the Tacazze: and the killing one of them confers great honour upon a chief, giving him the privilege of wearing its paw upon his shield.[1] Its skin is afterwards formed into a dress, very similar to that worn by the Kaifer chiefs in the neighbourhood of the Cape of Good Hope, though more richly ornamented.
Several species of the leopard tribe are found in the country. The common one is called nimeer in Tigre, nibr in Amharic—the second is the black leopard (gussela, T. and A.;) the skin of which commands a high price in the country, and is worn only by governors of provinces—the third, (muntillut T. wobo A.) appears to be an unknown species, and is said to be very fierce, occasionally carrying away children, and even men, when it accidentally finds them asleep: its face is described as resembling the human countenance. Of the lynx kind may be mentioned one nearly allied to the common lynx, (nibre arrar T.)—the lion cat, or caracal, (chon ambasa, T.,)—the tiger cat, or grey lynx, (nibre gulgul, T.;)—and the wild cat, (akul dimmo T. yedeer dimmut A.,) of which a drawing is given by Mr. Bruce; to these may be added the zibet, (turing dimmo,[2] T. ankeso, A.) which produces a quantity of civet that constitutes a considerable article of commerce.
Of the dog kind may be enumerated, the hyæna, (zibee, T. gib, A.;)—a small species of wolf, (wachária, T. kabbaro, A.;)—a common sort of fox, (cōnsul, T. wolga, A.;)—the sea-fox, (wuggera, T. tokela, A.;) and the jackal, (akul mitcho, T. michæl chitlo, A.) which last is an animal exceedingly destructive to poultry.
