Classis. M a m m a l ia . Auct. Ordo. C a r n a s s ie r s . Cue. Tribus. C a r n iv o r e s . Cuv. Stirps. D io it ig r a d e s . Cuv. G enH S. F e n n e c u s . Lacep. Species 1.—Fennecus Cerdo. Fennec. Bruce, vii. 2.31. (8vo). pi. 28. Animal Anonyme. Buff. Supp. iii. 128. pi. 19. ( 1776). Zerda. Penn. Quad. pag. 248. pi. 28. Canis Cerdo. Gmel. Linn. Fennecus Brucii. Desm. Mamm. pi. 108. f. 4. Canis Megalotis. Griff. An. King. This beautiful and extraordinary animal, or at least one of this genus, was first made known to European naturalists by Bruce, who received it from his drogoman, whilst consul genera] at Algiers. I t was brought from Biscara by a Turkish soldier, from whom the janizary bought it, and who said it was not uncommon at that place, but was more frequently met with in the date territories o f Beni Mezzab and Werglah, where these animals are hunted for their skins, which are afterwards sold at Mecca, and thence exported to India. Bruce kept his animal alive for several months, and took a drawing of it in water colours, of the natural size; a copy of which, on transparent paper, was clandestinely made by his servant. On leaving Algiers, Bruce gave the animal to Captain Cleveland, of the Royal Navy, who made a present of it to Mr. Brander, the Swedish consul. Mr. Brander, according to Sparman, as quoted by Bruce, gave an account of the animal in “ some Swedish Transactions,” but refused to let the figure be published, the drawing having been unfairly obtained. Bruce asserts that: this animal is described in many Arabian books, under the name o f El Fennec,'by which, he adds, that it is known all over Africa; he conceives the appellation to be derived from the Greek word pow|f, a palm, or date tree. After Bruce left Algiers, he met with two other Fennecs, one of which had been brought by the caravan of Fezzan to the Island of Gerba, from whence it was carried to Tunis, where Bruce saw i t ; the other he bought at Sennaar, but where it came from he knew not; though it seems probable that it was a native of the date villages in the desert of Selima. These nnimsk exactly resembled the, one first seen at Algiers, and were known by the name of Fennec, and by no other. The favourite food of Bruce’s Fennec was dates, or any sweet fruit; but it was also very fond of eggs: when hungry it would eat bread, especially ■with honey or sugar. His attention was immediately attracted if a bird flew near him, and he would watch it with an eagerness that could hardly be diverted from its object; but he was dreadfully afraid of a cat, and endeavoured to hide himself the moment he saw an animal of that species, though he showed no symptoms of preparing for any defence. Bruce never heard that he had any voice. During the day he was inclined to sleep, but became restless and exceedingly unquiet as night came on. Bruce describes his Fennec as about ten inches long; the tail, five inches ■and a quarter, near an inch of it on the tip, black; from the point of the fore-shoulder to that of the fore-toe, two inches and seven-eighths; from the occiput to the point of the nose, two inches and a half. The ears were erect, and three inches and three-eighths long, with a plait or fold at the bottom on the outside; the interior borders of the ears were thickly covered with soft white hair, but the middle part was bare, and of a pink or. rose colour ; the breadth of the: ears was one inch and one eighth, and the interior cavity very large. The pupil of the eye was large and black; the iris, deep blue. It had thick and strong whiskers ; the nose was sharp at the tip, black and polished. The upper jaw was projecting ; the number of cutting teeth in each jaw, six, those in the under jaw the smallest; canine teeth, two in each jaw, long, large, and exceedingly pointed; the number of molar teeth, four on each side, above and below. The legs were small; feet very broad, with four toes, armed with crooked, black, and sharp claws on each ; those on the fore-feet more crooked and sharp than those behind. The colour of the body was dirty white, bordering on cream-colour; the hair on the belly rather whiter, softer and longer than on the rest of the body.
27f 24
To see the actual publication please follow the link above