APPENDIX. 



**S 



the faphan, and the faphan for the rabbit. This, however, 

 is plainly without foundation. Thefe long legs, and the 

 neceffity of leaping, demand the plain ground, where na- 

 ture has always placed this creature. 



The Arabs Ibn Bitar, Algiahid, Alcamus, and Damir, and 

 many others, have known the animal perfectly, though 

 fome of them feem to confound it with another called the 

 Afhkoko. Ibnalgiauzi fays, that the jerboa is the only 

 kind that builds in rocks, which from ten thoufand exam- 

 ples I am fare he does not, nor is he any way made for it, 

 and I am very certain he is not gregarious. They have a 

 number of holes indeed in the fame place, but I do not re- 

 member ever to have feen more than two together at a 

 time. The x\rab Canonifts are divided whether or not he 

 can be lawfully eaten. Ibnalgiauzi is of opinion he can- 

 not, nor any other animal living under the ground, except- 

 ing the land crocodile, which he calls fcl Dabb, a large lizard, 

 laid to be ufeful in venereal purfuits. Ata and Achrnet, Ben- 

 hantal, and feveral others, exprefsly fay, that the eating of 

 the Jerboa is lawful. But this feems to be an indulgence, 

 as we read in Damir, that the ufe of this animal is granted 

 becaufe the Arabs delight in it. And Ibn Bitar fays, -that 

 the Jerboa is called Ifraeiitiih, that the flefh of it is dried in 

 the outward air, is very nouriining, and prevents coftivenefs, 

 from which we mould apprehend, that medicinal confidera- 

 tions entered into this permiflion likewife. Howev r er tins 

 may be, it feems to me plain, fuch was not the opinion of the 

 •old tranflators of the Arab vcrfion from the Hebrew ; they 

 once only name this animal exprefsly, and there they fay it 

 is forbidden. The paftage is in Ifaiah. " They that fanes 

 " tify themfelvcs and purify therafelves in the garden's 

 *' behind one tree in the midft, eating fvvinc's flefh, 



S 2 and 



