CANE RAT 



103 



inhabits the cane thickets or reed beds, forming lairs iri 

 the long grass or rushes, and feeding upon various roots, 

 bulbs and other vegetable matter. It swims well and 

 will take to the water when pursued. It lives fairly well 

 in captivity, and will breed if given suitable accommoda- 



FIG. 30. Cane Rats. 



tion. It is fond of sugar-cane and is said to do con- 

 siderable damage to the plantations in Natal and 

 Zululand. The natives are fond of the flesh and hunt 

 the animal with dogs ; they also snare them in wooden 

 traps. When down at Hectorspruit in the Eastern 

 Transvaal last June, our dogs killed one half way up a 

 rocky hillside, a peculiar locality for a Cane Tiat. 



Family HYSTBICID^E. 

 Genus HYSTRIX. 



Body covered with quills. Tail short. Dentition 

 similar to the preceding genus, the number of teeth 

 being the same, but the molars are semi-rooted. 



