192 
Htracid^. MAMMALIA. HYRAcioiE. 
that nature, as if in confirmation of her abhorrence to 
the saltus, liad left in the internal structure of this 
singular animal an impression borrowed from the type 
of the Edentata.” However agreeable to our taste, we 
cannot pursue the subject further, and have only by 
way of conclusion to observe, that the skin is thickly 
clothed with hair, the face being well supplied with 
stoutish bristles on the muzzle and immediately above 
the eyes ; similar thick hairs are also here and there 
interspersed throughout tlie fur at different parts of the 
body. The ears of Hyracidse are short ; the tail being 
represented externally by a mere tubercle. Herbage 
and various kinds of grass constitute their food. 
THE BASSE {Ilyrax capensis), Klipdas or Cape 
Hyrax, is an inhabitant of the mountainous districts 
of Southern Africa generally, both inland and along the 
coast. It is about the size of a rabbit, and conceals 
itself in the holes and crevices of rocks (fig. 75). It 
lives in colonies, and feeds upon grasses, aromatic 
herbs, and the young twigs of bushy shrubs. Should 
any enemy approacli wlule the colony are basking in 
the sun, as they are frequently wont to do, an alarm 
is immediately sounded by their sentinel, and away 
they all scamper to their hiding-places ; the warning 
cry being peculiarly shrill and prolonged. The Basse 
is readily tamed , and, according to Mr. Rudston Read, 
two examples kept by a friend of liis became veiy 
agreeable companions. “ They would find him out,” 
he says, “ when Ijdng on the sofa or in bed, and, climb- 
ing up, shelter themselves on his breast within his 
waistcoat, or creep under the bed-clothes at his hack, 
and, lying quiet, enjoy the warmth.” Another one, 
“ when allowed to run unconfined about the room, was 
inclined to he sociable, but was restless and inquisitive, 
climbing up and examining every person in the cabin, 
and startling at anj^ noise, which caused it instantly to 
run and hide itself. But, from confinement, it became 
savage and snarling, and tried to bite when anything 
was put near its cage. Both wild and in restraint it is 
remarkably clean in its habits, always frequenting and 
depositing its dung in one place. From its faintly cry- 
ing in its sleep we may conclude that it dreams. 
Fig. 
75 . 
The Cape Ilyrax (llyrax capensisj. 
have also heard it,” adds Mr. Read, “ chewing its food 
by night when everything has been quiet. In its food 
it wms jjleased with variety, eating first a few leaves of 
one plant and then of another, and greedily licking salt 
when given to it. In its passage home its food was 
Indian corn bruised, bread, raw potato, and onion, with 
a small quantity of water, which, in drinking, it partly 
lapped and partly sucked up. It was very sensible of 
cold; for wdien a candle was placed near the bars of its 
cage, it readily acknowledged tlie little warmtli given 
out by turning its side, and sitting still to receive the 
full benefit of the rays of heat. I am inclined to think 
that the female does not produce more than two young 
O’les at a time, from having observed, in several 
instances, hut two following the old ones.” The flesh 
of the Cape Hyrax is stated to he excellent eating. 
THE DAMAN {Ilyrax Siriacus), or Syrian Hyrax, 
is a distinct species, hut ai)])ears to he identical wdth 
the Abyssinian form described by Ehrenherg as the 
Hyrax Ahyssinicus, under wdiicli title it is also entered 
in the catalogue of Mammalia preserved in the British 
Museum. It is a native of Palestine and the moun- 
tainous borders of the Red Sea generally ; it is believed 
to be the Shaphan of scripture history. The body is 
about twelve inches long, possessing a similar measure- 
ment in height. The fur exhibits a greyish-browm 
colour above, being fulvous at the sides, and w'hitish 
underneath; the individual hairs are annulated by these 
several shades; their relative amount varying accord- 
ing to the region of the body in which they occur. 
The Damans are gregarious, selecting for their habita- 
tions those inaccessible caverns and clefts, wdiich the 
rocks of Syria so abundantly afford. Like the Cape 
Hyrax, they delight to bask in the sun near their snug 
retreats, exhibiting the same natural caution and 
timidity. The conies are, as Solomon aptly expresses 
it, a “feeble folk,” although they have “ their dwellings 
in the rocks.” 
