HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 365 



and is fuppofed to be the Coney of holy writ, our Rabbit 

 being unknown in Paleftine. It is alfo the Moufe men- 

 tioned in Ifaiah * ; Achbar, in the original, fignifying a 

 Jerboa. 



There are fome varieties of the Jerboa, found in Sibe- 

 ria, Tartary, and various parts of Afia. They differ 



chiefly in fize, the largeft being about the fize of a Rat: 

 Its ears are large, pointed, and tipped with white ; the 

 hair on the back is of a tawny colour, and very foft ; the 

 belly and under part of the body are white ; the end of 

 the tail is diftinguiflied by a white feathered tuft, an inch 

 long ; it has five toes on the fore feet, three on the hind ; 

 and about an inch above the laft, are two long flender 

 toes, with nails on each. 



This creature makes its neft of the fineft and moft de- 

 licate herbage ; rolls itfelf up, with its head between its 

 thighs; and fleeps during the winter, without taking any 

 nutriment. 



When purfued, it fprings fo nimbly, that its feet 

 fcarcely feem to touch the ground. It does not go 

 ftraight forward, but turns here and there till it gains a 

 burrow, where it quickly fecretes itfelf.- — In leaping, it 

 carries its tail ftretched out ; but in Handing or walking, 

 carries it in the form of an S, the lower part touching 

 the ground. 



The Jerboa is eafily tamed, is fond of warmth, and 

 feems to be fenfible of the approach of bad weather by 

 wrapping itfelf up clofe in hay. 



Among the Mogul Tartars, this animal is called the 

 Alaghtaaga. — It is fuppofed to be the Two-footed Moufe, 

 and the Egyptian Moufe of the ancients, which were faid 

 to walk on their hind legs. 



* Chap. lxvi. ver. 17. 



