APPENDIX. i 45 



lude to his feet, and how inadequate thefe are to dig holes 

 in the rock, where yet, however, he lodges. Thefe are, as 

 I have already obferved, perfectly round ; very pulpy, or 

 fle/hy, fo liable to be excoriated or hurt, and of a foft nefhy 

 fubftance. Notwithstanding which, they build houfes in 

 the very hardeft rocks, more inac.cemble than thofe of the 

 rabbit, and in which they abide in greater fafety ; not by ex- 

 ertion of ftrength, for they have it not, but are truly as Solo- 

 mon fays, a feeble folk, bur by their own fagacky and judg- 

 ment, and are therefore juftly defcribed as wife. I aftly, what 

 leaves the thing without doubt is, that fome of the Arabs, 

 particularly Damir, fay, that the faphan has no tail ; that 

 it is tefs than a cat, and lives in houfes, that is, not houfes 

 with men, as there are few of thefe in the country where 

 the faphan is ; but that he builds houfes, or nefts of ftraw, 

 as Solomon has faid of him, in contradistinction to the rabbity 

 and rat, and thofe other animals, that burrow in the 

 ground, who cannot be. faid to build houfes, as is exprels- 

 1)' faid of him. 



The Chriftians in Abyffinia do not eat the neGi of this 

 animal, as holding it unclean, neither do the Mahometans, 

 who in many refpe.cts of this kind in abftinence from wild 

 meat, have the fame fcfuple as chriftians. The Arabs in 

 Arabia retrea do eat it, and I am informed thofe on Mount 

 Libanus alio. Thofe or this kind that I faw were very far, 

 and their n'efh as white as that of a chicken. Though I 

 killed them frequently with the gun, yet 1 never happened 

 to be alone fo as to be able to eat them. They are quite 

 devoid or ail i'aiell and ramenefs, which cannot be faid of 

 the rabbit. 



I HAVE- 



