HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 91 



This animal is famous for a concretion in its ftomach 

 or inteftines, called the oriental bezoar, which was well 

 known in former times for its great virtue in expelling 

 poifon in the human frame, and was fold at enormous 

 prices; its value inreafing in proportion to its fize. 

 There was a time, when a ftone of four ounces fold in 

 Europe for above 200L; at prefent, however, its eftima- 

 tion and price are greatly decreafed. The virtues which 

 ignorance and inexperience attributed to it, are now 

 found no longer to exift ; and this once-celebrated medi- 

 cine is now only confumed in countries where the know- 

 ledge of Nature has been but little advanced. — Similar 

 concretions are likewife found in a variety of animals of 

 the Gazelle and Goat kind ; even Apes, Serpents, and 

 Hogs, are faid to have their bezoars. In fhort, there is 

 fcarcely an animal, except of the carnivorous kind, that 

 does not produce fome of thefe concretions in the fto- 

 mach, inteftines, kidnies, and even the heart. 



Thefe are the principal animals of the Gazelle kind 

 defcribed by Dr Sparrman in his Voyage to the Cape of 

 Good Hope. He mentions a variety of others that are 

 to be met with there, of which he gives us little but 

 their names. 



The REE-BOK 



is a gregarious animal; two feet in height; of an afli 

 colour, fomewhat refembling that of a Hare, but a little 

 more inclining to red: The belly and anus are white: 

 The tail is fhort : The horns are black and ftraight, very 

 fimilar to thofe of the Gemfe-bok, but barely a foot long, 

 very taper, and fharp-pointed ; they are ufed by the Hot- 



