684 HYRACOIDEA. 



hairs which are entirely of that color. The crown of the head has « 

 predominance of black, the sides of the head are somewhat grayish. 

 The ears are short and roundish, and beset outside with long, dusty- 

 whitish hair. The teeth of this species differ a little from those of the 

 Cape Hyrax, more particularly the incisors. The upper ones are more 

 pointed, and the lower ones stand in pairs. " Little is known of its 

 manners," writes Major Smith. "Almost the only observation that can be 

 elicited from the farmers and inhabitants of the parts of the country in 

 which it resides is, that it makes a great noise previous to the fall of 

 rain." 



The Hyrax or Daman, as the whole genus is sometimes called, is one 

 of those links in the chain of nature's works which puzzle classifiers. 

 Cuvier, the founder of modern scientific Zoology, placed these animals 

 with the horse and the rhinoceros in the order Pachydermata. It is 

 certain, indeed, that they resemble in their teeth and skeleton the huge 

 and unwieldy rhinoceros. 



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