xv THE GENUS DINOMYS 495 



pieces, and eight ribs reach it. A curious difference between this 

 genus and the last is in the relative proportions of the regions of 

 the intestine. The figures given by Tullberg for the two animals 

 are for Coelogenys, small' intestine, 4800 mm. ; caecum, 230 

 mm.; large intestine, 21,000 mm.; for Dasyprocta aguti the same 

 author gives: small intestine, 4200 mm.; caecum, 200 mm.; large 

 intestine, 1000 mm. The Agouti, says Mr. Eodway, 1 is as wily as 



FIG. 242. Agouti. Dasyprocta aguti. x ^. 



the Fox. " If chased he will run along the shallows of a creek to 

 hide his scent from the dogs, or swim over and back again several 

 times for the same purpose. He never runs straight when pursued, 

 but doubles, often hiding until a dog has passed, and then making 

 off in a different direction. Like the fox he has been hunted for 

 a very long period, and, like Eeynard, has grown wiser with every 

 generation." 



Fam. 5. Dinomyidae. The genus Dinomys of Dr. Peters 2 is a 

 very little known and remarkable form from South America 

 allied to the Capybara, the Chinchilla, and other South American 

 Kodents. It is only known by a single example found wandering 

 about a courtyard in a town of Peru. It is externally like, and 

 of about the same size as the Paca, but has a hairy tail. The 

 animal is four-toed and plantigrade ; the ears are short, and the 

 nostrils are S-shaped. It is usually regarded as belonging 



1 In the Guiana Forest, London, 1894. 2 MB. Ak. Berlin, 1873, p. 551. 



