_ (
_Urzii_), those who know not the immobility of death, the
_Imperishables_.

They were not scattered at random by the hand which had suspended them,
but their distribution had been ordered in accordance with a certain
plan, and they were arranged in fixed groups like so many star
republics, each being independent of its neighbours. They represented
the outlines of bodies of men and animals dimly traced out upon
the depths of night, but shining with greater brilliancy in certain
important places. The seven stars which we liken to a chariot (Charles's
Wain) suggested to the Egyptians the haunch of an ox placed on the
northern edge of the horizon.[*]

* The forms of the constellations, and the number of stars
composing them in the astronomy of different periods, are
known from the astronomical scenes of tombs and temples. The
identity of the _Haunch_ with the _Chariot_, or _Great Bear_
of modern astronomy, was discovered by Lepsius and confirmed
by Biot. Mariette pointed out that the Pyramid Arabs applied
the name of the _Haunch (er-Rigl)_ to the same group of
stars as that thus designated by the ancient Egyptians.
Champollion had noted the position of the _Haunch_ in the
northern sky, but had not suggested any identification. The
_Haunch_ appertained to Sit-Typhon.

Two lesser stars connected the haunch--_Maskhait_--with
thirteen others, which recalled the silhouette of a female
hippopotamus--_Ririt_--erect upon her hind legs,[*] and jauntily
carrying upon her shoulders a monstrous crocodile whose jaws opened
threateningly above her head. Eighteen luminaries of varying size and
splendour, forming a group hard by the hippopotamus, indicated the
outline of a gigantic lion couchant, with stiffened tail, its head
turned to the right, and facing the Haunch.[***]

* The connection of _Birit_, the female hippopotamus, with
the Haunch is made quite clear in scenes from Philae and
Edfu, representing Isis holding back Typhon by a chain, that
he might do no hurt to Sahii-Osiris. Jollois and Devilliers
thought that the hippopotamus was the _Great Bear_. Biot
contested their conclusions, and while holding that the
hippopotamus might at least in part present our
constellation of the Dragon, thought that it was probably
included in the scene only as an ornament, or as an emblem.
The present tendency is to identif