o arrange themselves in several rows across the streams where they
are shallowest. Here they squat side by side, as close to one another as
possible, and spread out their tails against the current, thus forming a
temporary dam. The water drains off below them, and when it has reached
its lowest point, at a signal from one of their number who from the bank
watches the proceedings, they rise and swoop upon the fish, frogs, etc.,
which the lowering of the water has exposed to view.

Fish are abundant in the Chaldaean marshes, and in almost all the
fresh-water lakes and rivers. [PLATE. VIII., Fig.] The Tigris and
Euphrates yield chiefly barbel and carp; but the former stream has also
eels, trout, chub, shad-fish, siluruses, and many kinds which have
no English names. The Koweik contains the Aleppo eel (_Ophidium
masbacambahis_), a very rare variety; and in other streams of
Northern Syria are found lampreys, bream, dace, and the black-fish
(_Macroptero-notus niger_), besides carp, trout, chub, and barbel. Chub,
bream, and the silurus are taken in the Sea of Galilee. The black-fish
is extremely abundant in the Bahr-el-Taka and the Lake of Antioch.

Among reptiles may be noticed, besides snakes, lizards, and frogs, which
are numerous, the following less common species--iguanoes, tortoises of
two kinds, chameleons, and monitors. Bats also were common in Babylonia
Proper, where they grew to a great size. Of insects the most remarkable
are scorpions, tarantulas, and locusts. These last come suddenly in
countless myriads with the wind, and, settling on the crops, rapidly
destroy all the hopes of the husbandman, after which they strip
the shrubs and trees of their leaves, reducing rich districts in an
incredibly short space of time to the condition of howling wildernesses.
[PLATE. VIII., Fig. 3.] If it were not for the locust-bird, which is
constantly keeping down their numbers, these destructive insects would
probably increase so as to ruin utterly the various regions exposed to
their ravages.

The domestic animals employed in the countries which composed the Empire
were, camels, horses, mules, asses, buffaloes, cows and oxen, goats,
sheep, and dogs. Mules as well as horses seem to have been anciently
used in war by the people of the more southern regions-by the Susianians
at any rate, if not also by the Babylonians. Sometimes they were ridden;
sometimes they were employed to draw carts or chariots. They were
spirited and active