Fish River Bush, South Africa. 213 



some times six or ten feet between the tips ; and the progeny 

 of the well-bred woolled sheep, if let alone, change the curly 

 thick-set coat for one hairy and shaggy, and thin, and the 

 small tail for the long pendulous and fat-laden one of 

 the Cape sheep. This deposit of fat in the tail would seem 

 to have some connection with the absence of the usual quan- 

 tity of internal fat seen in the latter breed. Horses are af- 

 fected in the lower districts with a congestive fever, implica- 

 ting the lungs at particular times and seasons, which proves 

 fatal to great numbers, especially such as are turned out to 

 graze all day, whence some attribute the cause to the grass, 

 especially with the dew on. Purging and the maintenance 

 of profuse perspiration are the usual methods of alleviation. 

 Some are cured, but the majority of cases are unsuccessful. 



The Common Hare may be found and shot about the open 

 thickets on stony clayey ground in the level parts of the Bush 

 country, but its flesh is far inferior to that of the English 

 hare, and very dry. It has a grayish fur, and is of consider- 

 able size. Associated with it, but in more stony places, occa- 

 sionally springs up and darts off very swiftly and sharply, 

 the mountain hare, Klipdas, or red hare, about half of the 

 size of the common species, having a general silver-gray thick 

 fur, red woolly tail and red legs, and has long hairs round the 

 nose and cheeks. Its skin is very difficult to take off, from its 

 thinness and slightness, and is difficult to preserve. The flesh 

 is very similar to that of the large species. 



Out feeding in the clear moonlight nights after dark, may 

 often, in particular localities, be detected the pretty and sin- 

 gular Spring Hare (Pedetes), in the neighbourhood of open 

 sandy clay soil interspersed with small bushes, which it browses 

 on, standing on its hind legs. It has many of the peculiarities 

 of the squirrel or sloth, in the shape of its fore paws, which 

 seem manifestly constructed for grasping branches or holding 

 berries or nuts. Its powerful strong sharp incisors can easily 

 bite the small twigs or cut off the wild fruit. It does not 

 seem adapted to climb trees, and therefore only obtains sucli 

 food as is within reach of a standing posture on its long hind 

 legs, armed with hoof-like nails on the feet. As the fore feet 

 are made as prehensile organs, it would seem that it is chiefly 

 enabled to progress by leaps like the kangaroo from its hind 



