Ill 



CAPE RAT. 



Mus Capensis. M» brachyuruSy dentibus primoribus supra in- 



fraque cuneatisj mirkvlis nullisj palmis pentadactylis, ore albo. 



Ufi. Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 140. Pall. Glir. p. 172. 

 Short-tailed rufo-cinereous Rat, paler beneath, with very large 



naked front-teeth, pentadactyle feet, and white muzzle. 

 Taupe du Cap de bonne Esperance. Buf. Suppl. 3. p. ig^.pL 



33. and Suppl. 6. p. 251 . pi. 36. 

 Cape Rat. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 21S. 



In its general shape this animal is not unlike 

 the great sand rat first described, and is equally 

 common about the Cape of Good Hope, but it is 

 far inferior in size, measuring about seven inches 

 to the tail, which is very short, nearly white, and 

 flattish. The general colour of this species is a 

 dusky rufous ash-brown, paler or more inclining 

 to whitisli beneath : the end or tip of the nose is 

 naked and black ; the remainder white, and on 

 each side are several strong white bristles : the 

 chin, lower sides of the cheeks, and spaces round 

 the eyes, are also white, and on the hind part of the 

 head is an oval white spot ; the teeth are naturally 

 exserted or naked, and are similar in form to 

 those of the great sand rat. In its manners alid 

 way of life the animal is also similar to that 

 species, and is very destructive to gardens, fling- 

 ing up hillocks, and eating various kinds of roots. 

 The best figure of this animal seems to be that 

 in Mr. Brown's Illustrations of Zoology, for which 

 reason it is introduced into the present work. 



