The Hyrax of Syria. 137 



of the horizontal ramus, and a greater convexity of the ascending 

 ramus than in other known quadrupeds. In hyrax, as in the 

 armadilloes, the muscular system has this great peculiarity, 

 that the digastric muscle of the lower jaw arises from the upper 

 part of the sternum instead of from the occiput or temporal 

 bone, and it is inserted into the whole ramus or angle of the 

 lower jaw. It is of remarkable size and strength, and it is this 

 muscle which occasions the peculiar fulness of the neck in 

 hyrax. The general conformation of the skull is wide shaped 

 and compact, and somewhat abrupt anteriorly ; the eye sockets 

 are large, and placed forward ; the auditory meatus is small, a 

 well-developed post-tympanic process seems to take the place 

 of the mastoid. The dentition presents a marked resemblance 

 to that of the rhinoceros. The molars are fourteen in each 

 jaw, the larger ones being placed farthest back, the anterior 

 ones are said to fall out soon after the animal has attained its 

 full growth ; they have not been shed in the skeleton before me. 



In Cuvier I read that two canines are found in the upper 

 jaw of the young animal, but there are no traces of any here. 

 The incisors are two above, placed apart, and four below, the 

 outer pair being much larger than the inner ones. 



The fore feet, as in the elephant, have each four digits; 

 they are the second, third, fourth, and fifth. (In this specimen 

 is seen a rudimentary first digit, which, however, is probably 

 abnormal.) Each digit is buried in the skin as far as the 

 little hoof or nail, which, however, only covers the upper, 

 not the lower surface. The whole foot is placed to the 

 ground, and has a callous sole. (All other Pachydermata are, 

 I believe, digitigrade.) The hind foot, which bears a striking 

 resemblance to that of the rhinoceros, has only three digits, 

 the second, third, and fourth; the third and fourth having 

 nails like the fore feet, the second being armed with a 

 claw, curved and pointed; the fore part of the astragalus is 

 divided into two very unequal facets; the os magnum and the 

 digitus medius which it supports are large. The stomach is 

 certainly not that of a ruminant, though it to some extent 

 approaches that type. It has strong muscular fibres about the 

 middle, which partially constrict it, and serve in some degree 

 to divide it into two pouches ; the organ is at this part folded 

 upon itself, but there is no valve between these pouches and no 

 intermediate receptacle for undigested food. Mr. R. Reed says of 

 the Cape hyrax that the specimens he shot had their stomachs 

 much distended with scarcely masticated food, and further says 

 of one he had in confinement that he had heard it chewing its 

 food by night, he believes ruminating when everything around 

 was quiet. The small intestine, which is not much thicker 

 than a goose-quill, has about twelve glandular pouches from 



