192 



HYRACID*:. MAMMALIA. HYRACIDJE. 



that nature, as if in confirmation of her abhorrence to 

 the Baltus, had left in the internal structure of this 

 singular animal an impression borrowed from the type 

 of the Edentata." However agreeable to our taste, we 

 cannot pursue the subject further, and have only by 

 way of conclusion to observe, that the skin is thickly 

 clothed with hair, the face being well supplied with 

 stoutish bristles on the muzzle and immediately above 

 the eyes ; similar thick hairs are also here and there 

 interspersed throughout the fur at different parts of the 

 body. The ears of Hyracidse are short ; the tail being 

 represented externally by a mere tubercle. Herbage 

 and various kinds of grass constitute their food. 



THE BASSE (Hyrax capensis), KLIPDAS or CAPE 

 HYRAX, is an inhabitant of the mountainous districts 

 of Southern Africa generally, both inland and along the 

 coast. It is about the size of a rabbit, and conceals 

 itself in the holes and crevices of rocks (fig. 75). It 

 lives in colonies, and feeds upon grasses, aromatic 

 herbs, and the young twigs of bushy shrubs. Should 

 any enemy approach while the colony are basking in 



the sun, as they are frequently wont to do, an alarm 

 is immediately sounded by their sentinel, and away 

 they all scamper to their hiding-places ; the warning 

 cry being peculiarly shrill and prolonged. The Dasse 

 is readily tamed , and, according to Mr. Eudston Read, 

 two examples kept by a friend of his became very 

 agreeable companions. " They would find him out," 

 he says, " when lying on the sofa or in bed, and, climb- 

 ing up, shelter themselves on his breast within hit; 

 waistcoat, or creep under the bed-clothes at his back, 

 and, lying quiet, enjoy the warmth." Another one, 

 " when allowed to run unconfined about the room, was 

 inclined to be sociable, but was restless and inquisitive, 

 climbing up and examining every person in the cabin, 

 and startling at any noise, which caused it instantly to 

 run and hide itself. But, from confinement, it became 

 savage and snarling, and tried to bite when anything 

 was put near its cage. Both wild and in restraint it is 

 remarkably clean in its habits, always frequenting and 

 depositing its dung in one place. From its faintly cry- 

 ing in its sleep we may conclude that it dreams. 



Fig. 75. 



1^ 



The Cape Hyrax (Hyrax capeusis 



have also -heard it," adds Mr. Read, " chewing its food 

 by night when everything has been quiet. In its food 

 it was pleased with variety, eating first a few leaves of 

 one plant and then of another, and greedily licking salt 

 when given to it. In its passage home its food was 

 Indian corn bruised, bread, raw potato, and onion, with 

 a small quantity of water, which, in drinking, it partly 

 lapped and partly sucked up. It was very sensible of 

 cold; for when a candle was placed near the bars of its 

 cage, it readily acknowledged the little warmth given 

 out by turning its side, and sitting still to receive the 

 full benefit of the rays of heat. I am inclined to think 

 that the female does not produce more than two young 

 ones at a time, from having observed, in several 

 instances, but two following the old ones." The flesh 

 of the Cape Hyrax is stated to be excellent eating. 



THE DAMAN (Hyrax Siriacus), or SYRIAN HYRAX, 

 is a distinct species, but appears to be identical with 

 the Abyssinian form described by Ehrenberg as the 



TTyrax Alyssinicus, under which title it is also entered 

 in the catalogue of Mammalia preserved in the British 

 Museum. It is a native of Palestine and the moun- 

 tainous borders of the Red Sea generally; it is believed 

 to be the Shaphan of scripture history. The body is 

 about twelve inches long, possessing a similar measure- 

 ment in height. The fur exhibits a greyish-brown 

 colour above, being fulvous at the sides, and whitish 

 underneath; the individual hairs are annulated by these 

 several shades ; their relative amount varying accord- 

 ing to the region of the body in which they occur. 

 The Damans are gregarious, selecting for their habita- 

 tions those inaccessible caverns and clefts, which the 

 rocks of Syria so abundantly afford. Like the Cape 

 Hyrax, they deh'ght to bask in the sun near their snug 

 retreats, exhibiting the same natural caution and 

 timidity. The conies are, as Solomon aptly expresses 

 it, a " feeble folk," although they have " their dwellings 

 in the rocks." 



