THE GAZELLE ("ROEBUCK").

THE word which in our English version of the Bible is rendered "Roe," and "Roebuck," has been satisfactorily shown, by Dr. Shaw and others, to mean the antelope. The roe is an animal of extremely rare occurrence in the East, while the antelope is very plentiful in every part of the Levant. It is therefore extremely improbable that the sacred writers would borrow their imagery from an animal which was either wholly unknown, or but rarely seen by those for whom they wrote, and that the Jewish legislator would give laws to his people respecting the use of an animal which they had probably never seen, and which was not to be found in the desert over which they had to pass, or in the land whither they were journeying, while he left unmentioned one which was of daily occurrence, and whose flesh was greatly esteemed, and therefore could not fail to become an important article of subsistence. Such is the argument from probability. It derives support from the Greek translation as well as from the etymology of the

original Hebrew name. The species fixed upon as the "roebuck" of Scripture, is the gazelle.

The gazelle is a small but beautiful species of antelope. Its principal locality in the present day is on the north of Africa. Among the Arabs it has long been celebrated for the beautiful brightness of its eyes; and in oriental poetry these are the standing type of beauty in that organ, “the soft black eye" of the gazelle expressing the very highest idea of luxuriant sweetness.

The form of the gazelle is of the most graceful and perfect description. Its limbs are light and slender, and so beautifully formed as to seem the beau idéal of the animal creation. Its head and neck are also exquisitely shaped; its forehead, slightly rounded; its ears, long, narrow, and pointed; and its eyes, large, prominent, dark, and expressive. The horns, with which both sexes are supplied, are in general about nine or ten inches in length, and are gently rounded; its body is covered with close, smooth hair, dun on the upper parts, and inclining to white on the under; but these vary so much in different individuals, and

even in the same individuals at different ages, that no distinct rule can be applied to it.

In its habits the gazelle is gregarious, living in flocks sometimes consisting of very large numbers. When the herd grazes, sentinels are placed to give warning of the approach of danger, and when the alarm is given they bound off with amazing rapidity in different directions. They soon draw together upon some more commanding ground, where they form a square, and, placing the young and the females in the centre, face about upon their assailants. So little are they able to withstand the attacks of their enemies, however, that the lion or the panther boldly approaches their intrenchment, and, crouching gradually till within his distance, springs upon one individual, when the herd hurry off, leaving their comrade to its fate.

The speed of the gazelle is frequently referred to in Scripture. The surprising agility which Asahel, the brother of Joab, displayed in pursuit of Abner, is spoken of by the sacred historian in these words: "And Asahel was light of foot, as