The dog was sacred to Mercury as being the protector of shepherds.—(Idem, p. 1012.)
The dove, as well known, was one of the symbols of Venus.
The dove was also worshipped by the Assyrians.—(Idem, p. 1024.)
The stork “accompanies filial piety ... upon coins.”—(Idem, vol. i. p. 215.)
The swallow was the emblem of Isis.—(Idem, p. 216.)
The ancient Britons, the English down to modern days, the ancient Romans, the Hungarians, the Scotch, and many other nations, drew omens from the crossing of a man’s path by a hare. It is related of Queen Boadicea that before joining battle with the Romans she drew from her bosom a hare, which she released, and from its gambols the priests drew the augury that success was to rest with her.—(See in Brand, “Popular Antiquities,” vol. iii. pp. 201 et seq., article “Hare, Wolf, or Sow.”)
Says Plinius: “There must be something in the general persuasion that after seeing a hare a man is good-looking for nine days.”—(“Saxon Leechdoms,” vol. i. p. 14.)
“The sun was represented by the Persians under the form of a lion, which they called Mithra; and his priests were called lions, and the priestesses hyenas.”—(Fosbroke, “Antiquities,” vol. ii. p. 1020.)
The hyena, according to Pliny, was an especially “magic” animal.—(Lib. xxviii.)
The ape was “worshipped in Egypt, and is now in India.”—(Fosbroke, “Antiquities,” vol. ii. p. 1008.)