Q^U ADRUPEDES. 187 
tween Egypt and Arabia. The Arabians call it 
Garbuka; the French, who live in Egypt, Rat de 
Montague. 
N. B. If one fhould follow the method of the 
ancients in defcribing this animal, we might fay it 
bad a head like a Hare, whiikers like a Squirrel, the 
fnout of a Hog, a body, ears, and fore legs, like a 
Moufe, hind legs like a bird, with the taii of a Lion. 
What a monftrous animal would this feein to be ! 
And had it been delineated 2000 years ago, it would 
at this day have been accounted a monfter. To this 
•nanner of defcribing, do molt monftrous animals 
pwe their origin ; as Griffins, Unicorns, &c. &c. For 
•aftance, when the parts of a new-difcovcred animal 
are compared to thofe of other animals already well 
known; painters, from this method of defcribing, 
receive an idea of a form of nature, which they 
always draw out of charafter. This matter cer- 
tainly merits a farther enquiry. 
7 . Hippopotamus Amphibius The River Horfe. 
Some obfervations related to me by a credible 
Perfon, who lived twelve years in Egypt. 
L The hide of a full grown Hippopotamus is a 
load for a camel. 
2 * The River Horfe is an inveterate enemy to the 
Crocodile, and kills it whenever he meets it. 
This, with fome other reafons, contribute much 
to the extirpation of the Crocodile; which, other- 
wife, coniidering the many eggs they lay, would 
utterly deftroy Egypt. 
3 * The River Horle never appears below the Ca- 
tarafts in Egypt, wherefore the inhabitants of 
Upper Egypt only can give any account of it; 
Lin. Syft, Nat. P, 74. N. 1. 
and 
