J E R 
JEAN-CAPELLE. An appellation given by 
fome naturalifts to theFaber Indicus,or Indian Do- 
ree of authors ; more expreffively named by Artedi 
the Zeus with a bifid tail. 
JECARINUS PISCIS. A name given by 
Gaza, and fome other ichthyologifts, to the fiili 
more commonly called the Hepatus Pifcis and, 
by fome, the Jecur Marinum. 
JENDAYA. A Brazilian bird of the paro- 
quette kind, about the fize of the blackbird. The 
beak and legs are black; the back, wings, and 
tail, are of a blueifti green colour; the tips of the 
■wings are blackifh; and the head, neck, and 
breaft, are of a pale yellow hue, with an admixture 
of orange. 
JENTLTNG. A fifli caught in the Danube, 
and fevcral other German rivers ; called by the na- 
tives Scheat, Jent, and Koppen ; and, by Gefner, 
Capito Cseruleus, the blue chub. 
JERBOA. A genus of animals with two cut- 
ting-teeth in each jaw, two very fhort fore-legs, 
two very long hind-legs refembling thofe of clo- 
ven-footed water-fowl, and a very long tail tufted 
at the extremity. There are feveral fpecies. 
Jerboa, Egyptian; the Mus Jaculus of Lin- 
naeus. This fpecies has dark full eyes, long 
\vhifl<ers, and broad eredl ears. It is about the 
iize of a large rat; the head fomewhat refembles 
that of the rabbit; and there are two cutting-teeth 
in each jaw. The tail, which is about ten inches 
long, is terminated by a tuft of black hair; the 
tip of which is white, but the reft fhort, brown, 
and rough. The head, back, fides, and thighs, 
are covered with long foft hairs, afh-coloured at 
the bottom, and of a pale tawny hue at the points ; 
and the breaft and belly are whitifh. But the legs 
of this animal particularly merit attention: the 
fore-legs, which are not more than an inch long, 
have each five toes, the inner or thumb being 
hardly vifible, but that, as well as the reft. Is fur- 
nifhed with a fharp claw; while the hinder legs are 
two inches and a quarter long, covered with Ihort 
hair, and exaftly refemble thofe of a bird, contain- 
ing each only three toes, all furniftied with claws, 
of which the middlemoft is the iongeft. 
This animal inhabits Egypt, Barbary, Paleftine, 
and the defarts between Balfora and Aleppo. It 
is as fingular in it's motions as in it's form: it al- 
ways ftr.nds or walks on it's hind-legs only ; while 
it's fore-paws, like thofe of the fquirrel, perform 
the offices of hands, and convey it's food to it's 
mouth. When difturbed or purfued, it often 
fprings fix or feven feet high from the ground; 
and moves fo very fwiftly, that fcarcely any other 
quadruped is able to overtake it. It is a lively 
and inoffenfive creature; feeds entirely on vegeta- 
bles; and burrows in the ground like the rabbit. 
In the year 1770, two of thefe little animals 
were exhibited in London, which burrowed almoft 
through the brick wall of the room in which they 
were confined. They left their dormitories at 
night, and roved abroad in queft of food they ge - 
nerally flept, rolled up like a ball, in the day-time; 
and, v/hen touched, emitted a plaintive, feeble 
note. 
Thefe creatures frequently conftitute fome part 
of an Arabian banquet. In that country they are 
called Daman Ifrael, or the Lamb of Ifrael : and 
Bochart difplays great ingenuity and erudition in 
endeavouring to prove that the Jerboa is the Sa- 
phan of Holy Writ. 
Jerboaj Siberian. This fpecies has very long 
J E R 
whiflcers; and long, narrow, tranfparent cas-?^ 
Each of the fore-feet has five toes ; and each of the 
hind three pointing forwards, and a fourth bf hind, 
about an inch above the heel. The upper part 
of the body is of a tawny colour, the loweft btino- 
whitifti; and in the fhape of it's body, legs, and 
tail, it perfeftly refembles the Egyptian Jerboa. It 
inhabits Siberia and Tartary; and is alfo found in 
Barbary and Syria, and even as far as India. It is 
extremely aftive in it's difpofition, and more expert 
in digging than the rabbit itfelf. When purfued, 
and unable to efcape through fwifmefs, it inftantly 
makes a hole in the ground, in which it fometimes 
buries itfelf deep enough to find fecurity before it's 
enemies can come up with it. In Ibm.e places, the 
burrows formed by thefe animals are fo numerous 
as to render travelling dangerous, the horfes fre- 
quently ftumbling into them unawares. 
Thefe creatures are extremely provident: they 
cut grafs, leave it in little heaps to dry, and carry- 
it afterwards into their burrows, where it not only 
fupplies them with food, but renders their habita- 
tions warm for their young during the rigours of 
winter. They are eafily tair.ed; and, vv^hen con- 
fined, do not refufe animal food, though in a ftate 
of nature they fubfift wholly on vegetables. Whea 
confined to any particular place, tliey always feek 
the warmeft corner; and generally prognofticate 
the approach of bad weather by v/rapping them- 
felves up in whatever warm materials they can 
find. 
In a wild ftate, they become the prey of all the 
lefier rapacious anifnals. They breed often dur- 
ing the luiT.mer; and probably bring forth eight 
at a time, as the female is furniftied with as many- 
teats. They feem to pafs the whole winter without 
nourifhment. About Aftracan, they fometimes 
make their appearance in a warm day in the miontk 
of February ; but return to their holes whenever 
they feel the actings of the cold. 
Jerboa, Cape. The length of this fpecies, 
from the nofe to the tail, is upwards of fourteen in- 
ches; the tail itfelf is near fifteen inches long; and 
the ears are nearly three. The head is fliort and 
broad; the eyes are large; and the whifkers arc fuil 
and long. The fore-legs are Ihort, and furniftied 
with five toes on each ; and the hind-legs, which 
are long, have four toes a piece. The body is of 
a tawny colour above, and cinereous below, mixed 
with long hairs pointed with black ; and two-thirds 
of the tail are tav/ny, the reft being black. 
This fpecies inhabits the lofty mountains to the 
north of the Cape of Good Hope : the Hottentots 
call itAerdmannetje ; and the Dutch Springen Haas, 
or the jumping hare. It is very ftrong for it's fize, 
and fometimes leaps twenty or thirty feet at a 
bound. When feeding, it fits upright, with it's 
legs extended horizontally, and it's back bent. 
It carries it's food to it's mouth by m.eans of it's 
fore-feet; and likewife burrows with them more 
expeditioufiy than any of it's kind. 
Jerboa, Indian. This animal has a fiender 
nofe, and large prominent eyes; it's ears are broad, 
ereft, femipellucid, and about an inch and a half 
long, with a tuft of hair between them; and there 
are two fiender canine teeth and two cutting ones 
in each jaw. It has four long fiender toes, and a 
diftind thumb on each foot; and the claws, which 
are fnarp-pointed, are all attached to the ftiin, ex- 
cept thofe of the two interior toes of the hind-feet. 
The hair on the legs and feet is ftiort, white, and 
thinly fcatteredj and the tail is almoft naked;, that 
pare 
