Dr. J. E. Gray on the Species of Hyrax. 47 
: 
Fur blackish, minutely caste aie with white, with a black 
dorsal spot. 
Hyrax habessynicus, Hemp. & Ehrenb. Sym. Phys. (specific characters). 
Hyrax abyssinicus, Gieber, Mam. 213. 
. syriacus, Hemp. &. Ehrenb. Symb. Phys. t. 2 (hinder figures only). 
Hab. Abyssinia, Ankober, Dec. 1847 (male and female) ; : 
called ‘ ahikoks ” (Capt. Cornwallis Harris). B.M. 
Ehrenberg describes the interparietal of H. capensis as tri- 
gonal, and of H. habessinicus as semiorbicular, and the space 
between the canine and grinders of H. habessinicus as being 
longer than in H. capensis; he also says that the fur of 
capensis is soft, and of H. habessinicus more rigid; but I can- 
not discover any appreciable difference in this respect between 
the Cape and the «megane species. 
The ‘aka of the adult Huhyraa abyssinicus, from the Abys- 
sinian skin, is larger than that of any species of Hyrax, and 
_ nearly as large as that of Dendrohyrax dorsalis ; it is narrow, 
and the smooth space on the crown is linear, of nearly equal 
width from a line.on a level with the front of the condyles. 
The second skull (from the skeleton No. 724 a) which I be- 
lieve to belong to this species, has decayed grinders, having 
been kept in confinement. It is very like the type specimen, 
but it is rather shorter, and the hinder part of the crown or 
sagittal crest is narrower. ‘This skull is exceedingly like the 
skull figured with its skeleton under the name of Hyrax sy- 
riacus by M. de Blainville (Ostéograph. t.1 & 2). It differs 
from the figure a little in the form of the process of the lower 
jaw in front of the condyle; but in this respect it also differs 
from the type specimens of Euhyrax abyssinicus. In both 
_ skulls the upper edge of the occipital bone is narrow, as in 
Hyracx. 
_ Dr. Peters has, since: the above was written, sent me the 
following observations on Professor Ehrenberg’s specimen in 
_ the Berlin Museum :—“ H. habessinicus is a very good species, 
_ and may prove to be the same as the H. dorsalis. There is a 
e of a younger specimen in his work ‘ Symbol Physicz,’ 
_ Mammalia, pl. 2. f. 2, together with H. syriacus. As you will 
see from the text, the skull is quite different from that of 
_ FZ. capensis, H. syriacus (ruficeps), and H. arboreus. The 
_ zygomatic arch is lower than on its junction with the zygo- 
_ Maatie process of the maxillary bones; but the teeth are small, 
_ asin H, arboreus. The hair is harsh, black and grey ; and the 
hair of the belly i is much shorter, greyish, sometimes yellowish, 
without soft fur.” 
Euhyrax abyssinicus. 
ona gots ¥ Cae ee ET ah ee ey eR ee Pea eS ee Oe ee ce ee si a ere eM lie Poem ant 
