108 
ON THE ANIMAL CALLED SAPHAN 
be found on Horeb, Sinai, and other rocky mountains, 
near which Moses conducted the children of Israel, after 
he brought them out of Egypt. 
It abounds also in the mountains of Palestine and Syria, 
particularly Bashan, Carmel, and Lebanon. 
Bruce agrees with Dr Shaw in thinking this animal to 
be the Saphan, only he gives it the name of Ashkoko; 
Ashok, in the Amharic language, signifying ' a prickle,"* 
and Ashkoko ' the prickly animal,' because the bristles 
along the back somewhat resemble the prickles of the 
hedgehog. 
This circumstance deserves particular attention, as it 
will materially assist us in arriving at the meaning of that 
term, which the Greek interpreters, our safest guides in 
this case, employ as the proper rendering of the Saphan. 
The Septuagint, Aquila, Theodotion, and Symma- 
CHUs, uniformly translate the Saphan by the term Xoi^o- 
ygyAA^o?; but none of the ancient Greek naturalists de- 
scribe any animal, bearing that name. A Greek schohast, 
however^ on the Peace,'' a comedy of Aristophanes, lets 
us understand that the term was known to his countrymen. 
" There is an animal," says he, " which is called by some 
Choirogryllios." 
Hesychius, who has left us a Greek dictionary, and 
Philoxenus, the author of a Greek glossary, explain 
Choirogryllios by c l^/vog, ' the hedgehog.' 
From this explanation of Choirogryllios, some have 
thought that the Saphan was the hedgehog; but as the 
hedgehog does not chew the cud, go in troops, or live in 
rocks, no more need be said to shew that this is not the 
animal. 
Clement of Alexandria, and he who wrote the Epistle 
of Barnabas, have thought the Saphan to be the hyena, in 
all probability from the hardness of the hair ; but as the 
