192 VERTEBRATA. MAMMALIA. 



ingly limited, that its attacks, although sudden and 

 impetuous, are easily eluded ; and a shot behind 

 the shoulder, discharged from a distance of twenty 

 or thirty yards, generally proves fatal. On our way 

 from the waggons to a hill not half-a-mile distant, 

 we counted no less than twenty-two of the white 

 species of Rhinoceros, and were compelled in self- 

 defence to slaughter four. On another occasion, 1 

 was besieged in a bush by three at once, and had 

 no little difficulty in beating off the assailants." * 

 Burchell likewise speaks of the ease with which 

 the animal is avoided by merely stepping out of 

 the line of his headlong charge. [ 



There is reason to believe that another species 

 exists in India, and at least two more in Africa ; 

 and the remains of nine fossil species are found, of 

 which one was no larger than a Hog. 



Hyrax,\ the Daman. 



Strangely contrasting with the animals we have 

 just dismissed, we now consider some little creatures 

 resembling in form and size some of the Cavies, 

 with which they were formerly associated, clothed 

 with thick fur, but in their anatomy displaying a 

 very close affinity to the Rhinoceros. There are 

 three species, the Syrian Daman (H. Syriacus), 

 wilich is believed to be the Cony of Scripture, the 

 Cape Daman (H. Capensis), the Rock Rabbit of 



* Wild Sports, p. 220. f Travels, vol. ii. p. 73. 



J "!>, Ityrax, a kind of rat. 



