HYRAX, the name given to animals of the order Hyracoidea, small, plump, almost tail-less beasts, having a hoof on each toe, superficially resembling rodents but forming an order of their own of doubtful affinities. Here belongs the "cony" of the Bible. There are two genera, Procavia, which comprises the ground-liv ing forms (including the "cony"), and Dendrohyrax, the species of which are arboreal. Procavia is distributed over Africa, south and east of the Sahara, and south-western Asia; Dendrohyrax is confined to Africa. All hyraxes climb well. Procavia is found in deserts and mountainous country, living in holes among rocks.