70 MOSTLY MAMMALS 



or groups absolutely unknown beyond the confines of that 

 country, while Old World types are relatively scarce. For 

 instance, the whole of the typical representatives of that 

 group of mammals technically termed edentates, such as 

 armadillos, ant-eaters, and sloths, are exclusively confined 

 to South and Central America ; while the monkeys of that 

 continent are quite different from those of the Old World, 

 and, like the pretty little marmosets, are peculiar to the 

 former area. The camel-like animals known as guanacos 

 and vicunas, together with their domestic representatives, 

 the llamas, are likewise at the present day exclusively 

 characteristic of South America, although there is reason 

 to believe that they were originally introduced from the 

 north. Then, again, opossums (which, by the way, must 

 not be confounded with the creatures commonly so called 

 in Australia) are among the most characteristic of South 

 American mammals, although some range as far north as 

 the United States. The rodents, or gnawing mammals, 

 are likewise remarkable, not only for their numerical 

 abundance, but likewise for the large size of several of 

 their members which belong to genera peculiar to the 

 continent. Among these the capivara or carpincho {Hydro- 

 choerus\ commonly known as the river-hog, is the largest 

 living member of the order, its skull measuring about a 

 foot in length. Another characteristic aquatic type is the 

 coypu {Myocastor), generally termed by Europeans nutria 

 (properly the Spanish name for an otter), and easily recog- 

 nised by its red incisor teeth. Of the terrestrial species 

 the most familiar is the viscacha, which inhabits warrens, 

 like the prairie marmot of North America, with which, 

 however, it has no affinity. 



But not only is South America remarkable for the number 

 of peculiar types of mammals it contains, but it is likewise 



