THE GUINEA PIG FAMILY—WATER PIG. 



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dash of red or brownish yellow is distributed over 

 the body, being nowhere sharply defined. Only the 

 bristles around the mouth are decidedly black. An 

 adult Capybara attains about the size of a year-old 

 Pig and weighs about one hundred pounds. The 

 length is over three feet, the height from the ground 

 to the top of the shoulders about twenty inches. 

 Distribution of The Capybara is distributed all over 

 the Capy- South America and is found from the 

 bara. Orinoco river to the La Plata and 



from the Atlantic Ocean to the foot of the Andes 

 Mountains. Low, swampy woodland, especially 

 water-courses and the edges of lakes and swamps, 

 are its favorite haunts. It delights in large streams, 

 and never leaves their vicinity unless it should some- 

 times follow the course of small rivers or ditches 

 emptying into much larger water-courses. In some 

 regions it is quite numerous, and often to be en- 



plants and the bark of young trees and only where 

 it exists near plantations does it sometimes make 

 inroads on water-melons, maize, rice or sugar canes, 

 and may then inflict considerable damage. The 

 Capybara is a quiet animal. The first glance shows 

 the observer that he has to deal with an extremely 

 dull-witted and stupid creature. One never sees it 

 playing with others of its kind. The members of a 

 herd either graze slowly or they rest in a sitting 

 posture. From time to time they turn their heads 

 in all directions to see whether an enemy is ap- 

 proaching. If a foe be descried they do not hurry, 

 but run slowly toward the water When terrified 

 they frantically rush and dive into the water with 

 a cry. If they are not accustomed to the sight of 

 human beings they sometimes gaze curiously at 

 them for a long time before they scamper away. 

 One never hears them utter any other sound than 



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THE CAPYBARA OR WATER FIG. This is the largest of all the Rodents. It is a heavy clumsy animal which inhabits low-lying 



woods in the vicinity of streams or lakes, and although a favorite prey to the Jaguar on land and the Alligator in the water, the Capybaras are 

 sometimes seen in large packs at places remote from settlements. The extremely coarse hair, heavy body and hoof-like toes of these animals are 

 well illustrated in the picture. (Hydrochxrus capybara.) 



countered. As is easily understood, it is less fre- 

 quently met with in populous localities than in the 

 wilderness. In the former it is seen only at evening 

 or in the early morning, but one may see large num- 

 bers of them, by day also, on the lonely little-fre- 

 quented banks of rivers, foraging for food or sitting 

 on their haunches like Dogs. 



-Peculiarities of Its ordinary pace in walking is slow; 



" the Capy- its running powers of short duration; 

 bara. when hard pressed it sometimes re- 



sorts to flight by means of a series of jumps. It is 

 an excellent swimmer, however, and easily crosses 

 streams, though it does so only when pursued or 

 when food has become scarce on the side it occu- 

 pies. However attached it is to a certain locality, it 

 is sure to leave it when subject to pursuit. It has no 

 real den, though it regularly haunts certain selected 

 spots on the bank. Its food consists of aquatic 



that cry of alarm, which Azara expresses by the syl- 

 lable "ap." This cry is so piercing, however, that 

 one can hear it at the distance of more than a mile. 



The female has but one litter a year, which num- 

 bers five or six young. The little Pigs follow their 

 mother immediately, but do not exhibit feelings of 

 natural affection or even much attachment for her. 



The Capybara The animal has of late years been 

 in Captiu- repeatedly brought to Europe. I 

 ,tu - took care of one of them for some 



time. It was very much attached to me, knew my 

 voice, came to me when I called it, was much 

 pleased when I petted it, and followed me about 

 like a Dog. It did not exhibit the same gentle 

 temper to everybody : when its keeper once was 

 opposing its disposition to wander and endeavoring 

 to drive it home, it jumped on his chest and bit him, 

 fortunately, however, getting more of his coat than 



