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THE CAPE HYRAX. 



Hyrax Capensis. GMELI N. 

 PLATE XVI. 



Co via capensis, Pallas, Miscellanea. Zool. Hyrax 

 Capensis, Gmel. 



THE Cape Hyrax is about the size of a Hare, 

 but with shorter legs and more clumsy form ; it 

 is of a uniform grayish brown, and along the 

 back is marked with a darker band. The toes on 

 the fore feet are only three in number, whereas in 

 the last animal they were four, a difference which 

 is now taken as one of the principal distinctions 

 of the animals which inhabit the opposite portion 

 of the great African continent. This animal was 

 of frequent occurrence in the Cape of Good 

 Hope, living in the clefts of rocks ; and in its 

 motions, when retiring to its burrows, exhibiting 

 many similarities to those of the common Rabbit. 



Major Smith gives the following description of 

 a third species of Hyrax, under the title of H. 

 arboreus, found in many of the forests of South 

 Africa, and inhabiting the hollows of decayed 

 trees. 



