THE ALGERIAN JUMPING SHREW.[258]
Besides these southern species, however, the French naturalists have discovered a species of this genus in Algeria, and it is also found to inhabit Barbary. It is known to the French colonists in Algeria by the name of the “Rat à trompe.” This animal is of the same size as the preceding—that is to say, about five inches long; its tail measures four inches, and its long slender snout about half an inch. It has a soft tawny fur on the back and sides, and the lower surface is whitish. The Algerian Jumping Shrew is said to feed not only upon insects, but also upon vegetable matters. It is gentle and inoffensive, and may be easily tamed, when its gambols are said to be very sprightly and amusing.
THE PETRODROME.[259]
The Mozambique coast produces another species of this family, agreeing with those just noticed in nearly all its characters, but of much larger size, and further distinguished from them by having only four toes on each hind foot. The first toe, which is pushed far back, and considerably reduced in size in the Elephant Shrews, is entirely deficient in the Petrodrome.
While the Macroscelides generally live in the plains, among grass and under bushes, the Petrodrome, as its name implies, prefers localities among the hills, where cavities and fissures in the rocks furnish it with a secure refuge. In three places where Professor Peters found it, this was the case. It lives on insects. In captivity it soon becomes familiar, although at first shy, but never inclined to bite. The natives at Tette call it Sâro.
THE RHYNCHOCYON.[260]
SOLE OF RIGHT
HIND FOOT OF
PETRODROME.
Besides the species of Macroscelides already mentioned, and the Petrodrome, the coast of Mozambique has another animal which is referred to this family, although it presents several characters which separate it very decidedly from all the rest. It was first described by Professor Peters under the name of Rhynchocyon, which means “beaked dog,” although it must be confessed that there is nothing very dog-like about it. The name is in allusion to the large size of the canine teeth.