^j6 Phvfical Obfervations &c. 



which are, 1 prefume, ah*eady delineated ' though notdefcribed. 

 The former are found in great Numbers in a Fountain near Bell- 

 mont, being of the Lizard Kind^all over fpotted5and differ from 

 the commonWater Efts, in the Extent and Fafhion of theirFins. 

 Thcfe, in the Males, commence from the Tip of the Nofe, 

 and running the whole Length of the Neck and Back to the 

 very Extremity of the Tail, are continued afterwards along the 

 under Part of the Tail quite to the Navel ; whereas the Tails 

 only of the Female are finned. The Body and Tail of this Ani- 

 mal are accounted to be great Provocatives, and are therefore 

 bought up by the Turks at an extravagant Price. 

 The Daman The Damau Ifrael ', is an Animal likewife of Mount Liha- 



Ifr3.cl ths « 



Saphan of mis, though commou in other Places of this Country. It is a 

 *'^"^'^""^''harmlefs Creature, of the fame Size and Qiiality with the 

 Rabbet, having the like incurvating Pofture and Difpofition 

 of the Fore Teeth. But it is of a browner Colour, withfmaller 

 Eyes, and a Head more pointed. The Fore Feet likewife are 

 fhort, and the Hinder near as long in Proportion, as thofe of 

 the Jerboa \ Though it is known to burrough fometimes in 

 the Ground ; yet, as the ufual Refuge of it is in the Holes and 

 Clifts of the Rocks, we have fo far a more prefumptive Proof 

 that this Creature is the Saphan- of the Scriptures than the 

 Jerhoa. None of the Inhabitants, whom I converfed with, 

 could inform me why it was called Daman Ifrael, i. e. Ifrael' s 

 Lamb , according to their Interpretation. 

 Ths ivhabi- Befides Greeks , Maronites, and other Se6ls of Chriftians , 

 Country. this Country is inhabited by Turks ^ Turkmans, Arabs, Suories^ 

 and Drufes. The Turks are the Mafters of the Cities, Caftles 

 and Garrifons : the Turkmans and Arabs poffefs the Plains ; 

 the latter living, as ufual, in Tents; the other in moveable 

 Hovels : whillt the Suories, (the Defcendents perhaps of the 

 Indigent or original Syrians,) cultivate the greateft Part of the 

 Country near Latikea and Jebilee ; and the Drufes maintain a 

 Kind of Sovereignty all over the Caftra'nan Mountains. 



I Vid. r/;?/rf«r. Rer. Natural. AkniSeU. p. 22. Vol.i. PI. 14. fig.i. 8c p.67. PI. 41. 

 fig. 2. the firft exhibits the figure of the Skinkore, calling it Lacertus Afrlcamis dorfo pcdi- 

 nato, amphiblos mag. Fxmina peci'mata caret pinna in dorfo. The latter gives us the figure 

 of the Cuniculus Americanus, which is very like our Daman Tfrael. 2 Animal quoddam 

 humile, cuniculo non diffimile, quod Agnwn fiUorum Ifrael nuncupant. Profp. Alpin. Hift. 

 Nat. ^gypt. pars I. cap. 20. p. 80. &1. 4. cap.p. 3 Vid. p. 248. 



As 



