232 TRAVELS IN 
animals are eafily domefticated. One fpecies, however, is very 
difficult, if not impoffible, to render tame. It refembles the 
peSlorius or pol-cat of America, with this difference only, that 
the latter has five parallel white lines along the back, and the 
African fpecies only four, that deverge from the fhoulder. 
When firft taken they fmell very ftrongly of mufk, which 
however fhortly wears off by confinement. There is alfo found 
in this part of the country a beautiful little ground- fquirrel, 
with a white ftripe on each fide from the fhoulder to the flank ; 
the body a dark chefnut color, about eight inches in length ; 
tail ten inches, grizzled, black, brown, and white. 
That elegant bird, the Balearic crane, grus pavonina, was firft 
met with near the Melk river ; and Guinea fowls were very 
abundant near every ftreamlet. Bee-eaters, merops apiajier^ 
with their beautiful plumage, and certhias^ or creepers, with 
colors ftill more brilliant, were fluttering about in vaft numbers 
among the mimofas of the Sunday river, where are alfo many 
beautiful fpecies both of kingfifhers and woodpeckers. The 
modeft garb of the col'i't^ of which I met with three fpecies, 
formed a ftriking contraft with the gaudy plumage of the others. 
There are feveral fpecies of fwallows in the Cape, all migra- 
tory. One in particular, with a red-fpotted breaft, frequents 
the habitations of man, where it builds its neft. In many of 
the farm-houfes are fmall ftielves nailed againft the beams, ex- 
prefsly for the fwallows ; and I have heard it afferted very com- 
monly, that the fame birds return to their places for many 
years, and generally on the very fame day ; a ftriking inftance 
that Nature is not more conftant in the organization of the 
machine 
