The fish's
skin is harder, however, than the skin of the land animal. This," he
said, as he indicated the talisman, "is, as you doubtless know, one of
the most curious of zoological products."
"But to proceed----" said Raphael.
"This," replied the man of science, as he flung himself down into his
armchair, "is an ass' skin, sir."
"Yes, I know," said the young man.
"A very rare variety of ass found in Persia," the naturalist
continued, "the onager of the ancients, equus asinus, the _koulan_ of
the Tartars; Pallas went out there to observe it, and has made it
known to science, for as a matter of fact the animal for a long time
was believed to be mythical. It is mentioned, as you know, in Holy
Scripture; Moses forbade that it should be coupled with its own
species, and the onager is yet more famous for the prostitutions of
which it was the object, and which are often mentioned by the prophets
of the Bible. Pallas, as you know doubtless, states in his _Act.
Petrop._ tome II., that these bizarre excesses are still devoutly
believed in among the Persians and the Nogais as a sovereign remedy
for lumbago and sciatic gout. We poor Parisians scarcely believe that.
The Museum has no example of the onager.
Pages:
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328