- the coney:
- Shaphan, most probably an animal resembling the rabbit, called by Dr. Shaw, daman (probably for ganam) Israel, "Israel's lamb," and by Bruce, ashkoko, which name he imagines is "derived from the singularity of these long herenacious hairs, which, like small thorns, grow about his back, and which an Amhara are called ashok." This curious animal abounds in Judea, Palestine, Arabia, and Ethiopia; and is described as being about seventeen inches when sitting. It has no tail; and at first sight gives the idea of a rat. Its colour is grey, mixed with reddish brown; the belly white, the body covered with strong polished hairs, for the most part about two inches in length; the ears round, and not pointed; the feet round, of a soft, pulpy, tender substance; the toes projecting beyond the nails, which are rather broad than sharp; the upper jaw is longer than the other; it lives upon grain, fruit, and roots, and certainly chews the cud; and it does not burrow like the hare and rabbit, but lives in clefts of the rocks. "The highª hillsª [are] a refugeª for the wild goats;ª [and] the rocksª for the conies.ª" {Psa 104:18} + "The coniesª [are but] a feebleª¹ folk,ª yet makeª° they their housesª in the rocks;ª" {Prv 30:26}
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