364 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS, 



The JERBOA. 



ripiHIS animal, remarkable for the fingular conftruc- 

 JL tion of its legs, is found in Egypt, Barbary, and 

 Paleftine. — It is fomewhat lefs than a Rat : Its head has 

 a great refemblance to that of a Rabbit ; its eyes are 

 large and full ; the fore legs are only one inch in length, 

 and are ufed as hands to convey victuals to its mouth ; 

 the hind legs are naked, and very much refemble thofe 

 of a bird, having only three toes on each, the middle one 

 longeft; its tail is much longer than its body, and termi- 

 nated with a black tuft, the tip of which is white ; its 

 hair is long and foft, of a reddifh colour on the back ; the 

 under parts of the body are white ; acrofs the thighs there 

 is a large black band, in the form of a crefcent. 



The motions of the Jerboa are fimilar to thofe of the 

 Kanguroo. It goes forward very nimbly on its hind feet, 

 taking leaps of five or fix feet from the ground. 



It is a lively, harmlefs animal, lives entirely on vegeta- 

 bles, and burrows in the ground like a Rabbit. 



It is the Damon Ifrael of the Arabs, or Lamb of Ifrael; 



