304 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



you please, to the Elephant ! True enough it belongs to a different 

 family, known as the Hyracid^e, occupying a position in the scale 

 of animal life between the Hares and Rabbits (Family Leporidze) 

 and the Elephants (Family Elephantidae) . 



Being so much like a Rodent in general appearance, it is small 

 ■ wonder that, on learning of its relationship with the Elephant, the 

 observer should express surprise, but a glance at the toes of the 

 Hyrax will reveal small hoofs which are joined by skin to the nails, 

 thus resembling those of both the Elephant and Rhinoceros. Yet 

 again, the teeth are best cortipared to those of the Hippopotamus, 

 and the distinguished French naturalist, Baron Cuvier, referred to 

 the Hyrax as being, if the horns of the Rhino are excepted, "a 

 Rhinoceros in miniature." The reader will thus gain some idea of 

 the curious build of this little beast which has greatly puzzled 

 zoologists for a long time past. 



There are quite a number of these small relatives of the largest 

 terrestrial animal now living, and whilst some are exclusively ground 

 dwellers, there are others whose habits are entirely arboreal, the 

 name of Tree Hyraces having been conferred upon these. They 

 are residents of East and West Africa. . 



The Cape Hyrax is, as its name implies, an inhabitant of 

 South Africa, where it is also known as the Klip-Das, or Rock 

 Badger. 



Other species inhabit Arabia and Syria, the Syrian Hyrax being 

 the "Coney" referred to in the Bible. The Cape Hyrax (Fig. 248) 

 is clothed with soft, fine hair of a dark-brown colour, with specks of 

 pale-yellow or white, and a black spot on the back. It haunts rocky 

 places (hence the name of Rock Badger), and may be observed 

 playing about its environs in a delightful way, similar to the prolific 

 Rabbit, which it also resembles in exhibiting a preference for feeding 

 during the morning and evening. 



COMMON POLECAT.— This animal (Fig. 249) is a rare British 

 species to-day, for, being an inveterate enemy of game birds, the 

 hand of every keeper in the country is against it, and in most 

 districts it has been entirely stamped out. Reference has already 

 been made to this savage beast on pages 40-42, to which the attention 

 of the reader is directed, but before dealing with the Zorilla, or 

 Cape Polecat, it may be stated that outside Britain the Common 

 Polecat is found in most other countries of Europe. It is a handsome 

 creature, having a coat dark above and paler below, with a black 



