Z THE CONEY. 



near Ryde, Isle of Wight, show that it was once an inhahitant of this country. 

 Another link is supplied by the Leporine Hyracotherium, [Hyracotlipj-ium 

 leporinum,) whose remains occur in the London clay, at a short distance from 

 Heme Bay, and which, in the conformation of its skull and general form, seems 

 to have resembled the subject of the present sketch. 



Commentators on the Bible, and those who have employed themselves in 

 the more particular elucidation of the Natural History of the sacred volume, 

 have experienced considerable difficulty in the determination of the particular 

 animal meant by the word Shaphan, which our translators have rendered 

 "Coney;" the Rabbit, the Jerboa, and the Mouse being supposed by dilrerent 

 writers to be intended; the difficulty arising principally from the incorrect or 

 superficial statements of travellers. 



As before stated, the Coney has a very strong resemblance to the Rabbit, 

 hence the name of "Rock Rabbit," which is frequently applied to it. The eye 

 is remarkably small, and the ear is short and somewhat pointed, thus distin- 

 guishing it from a variety which inhabits Abyssinia, and which, according to 

 Bruce, has a rounded ear; there are, during nonage, two very small canines; 

 the upper incisors, which are two in number, are bent, pointed, and stout, 

 and placed at a short distance from each other; the lower incisors are four 

 in number, closely arrayed, flat, and directed forwards; the molars are seven 

 on each side, above and below, the first, however, generally falls out, and in 

 old individuals the next is also frequently wanting; the jaw-bone is not artic- 

 ulated so as to admit freely of ruminating. The general colour of its fur, 

 which isj thick and soft, is dark brown, and along its back there are traces 

 of a light and dark shade; it has a few bristles about its mouth, over its 

 head, and along its back, and other parts of the body, and from the resem- 

 blance which these bristles bear to small thorns, the inhabitants of Amhara 

 call the animal Aslikoko, Ashok in their language signifying a thorn. Its 

 bind foot has three toes, which are buried in the skin as far as the small 

 and'^rounded horny hoofs, precisely in the same manner as those of the 

 Rhinoceros; in the fore foot the toes are four, the fourth being contracted, 

 but possessing, in compensation, a rather long, bent, oblique nail. The 

 expression "feeble folk," applied by Solomon to these interesting little animals, 

 besides referring to their general weakness, is thought by some to convey a 

 more especial allusion to the feet, the under surface of which is very soft and 

 tender, altogether unfitting it for burrowing or catching prey, its only mode 

 of attack being by means of its teeth, with which it sometimes inflicts rather 

 severe wounds; its tail is a mere tubercle. 



It tenants the acclivities of rocks, where its nest is generally a hole com- 

 fortably lined with moss and feathers, agreeing with the statement in the 

 book of Proverbs that the Conies make their houses in the rocks. It is 

 gregarious, and whole families may be seen at one time, gambolling and skipping 

 about among the rocks, or sitting, enjoying the warmth of the sun, upon the 

 large blocks of stone near their places of retreat, to which they run with 



