THE ROCK OR KLIP DASSIE 



owing to the interwoven creepers on the tops of the 

 trees the sun rarely penetrates to the ground, I 

 have seen colonies of Rock Dassies among the boul- 

 ders, and have for hours watched their ways and 

 habits from some adjacent place of concealment. 



Although the Dassie does not burrow, it often 

 improves its lair by scraping out all loose stones 

 and earth, thus considerably enlarging its residence. 



Requiring some Klip Dassies for exhibition at 

 the Port Elizabeth Museum, I set off with a friend 

 in a Cape cart, our destination being a Hottentot 

 village some miles distant, known as Bethelsdorp. 

 Arriving there, we secured the services of half-a- 

 dozen gaunt, alcohol-sodden Hottentots, and with 

 several fox-terrier dogs we wended our way up an 

 adjacent narrow valley, on each side of which rose 

 steep, rocky hills. Mounting the rocks we reached 

 the brow of an eminence, and carefully peering over 

 a boulder, I glanced down and surprised a score of 

 Dassies basking on the rocks not more than ten yards 

 distant. Simultaneously the danger-signal rang out, 

 and the Dassies scattered in all directions, jumping 

 from boulder to boulder, until all had found cover in 

 various holes and crannies amongst the rocks. Noting 

 a collection of boulders where several Dassies had 

 disappeared, we proceeded there, and as expected, 

 found a deep cleft. Calling the dogs, we were soon 

 convinced by their wild excitement that some Dassies 

 had sought shelter, there. After tying up the dogs, 

 our men, with the aid of crowbars and badly 

 227 



