THE COAST RAT, OR SAND MOLE. 161 
The Coast Rat is an inhabitant of the Cape of Good Hope and the coasts 
of Southern Africa, where it is found in tolerable profusion, and drives such 
multitudes of shallow tunnels that the ground which it frequents is rather 
dangerous for horsemen, and not at all pleasant even to a man on foot. The 
5 Se 
COAST RAT, OR SAND MOLE.—(Bathyergus Maritimus.) 
burrows are made at so short a distance from the surface that the earth gives 
way under the tread of any moderately heavy animal. Mr. Burchell, the 
well-known African traveller, narrates that in traversing the great sand flats of 
BAY BAMBOO RAT.—(Rizzomys badius.) 
Southern Africa he was often endangered by his feet sinking into the burrows 
of the Coast Rat, which had undermined the light soil in every direction, 
The animal is rather slow of foot upon the surface of the ground, but drives 
its subterranean tunnels with marvellous rapidity, throwing up little sandy 
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