366 



THE RODENTS OR GNAWING ANIMALS. 



of his body between its teeth. It could not be 

 called obedient, anyway ; it obeyed only when it 

 elected so to do. 



Characteristic 1 can n °t characterize the move- 

 Mouements of the merits of the Capybara as clumsy or 

 Capybara. lumbering. It seldom runs rapidly, 

 its usual gait consisting of long, deliberately taken 

 steps, but it can easily clear fences three feet high at 

 a bound. It is perfectly at home in the water. It 

 swims across wide streams in a very straight direc- 

 tion, and at the same rate of speed at which a Man 

 walks; it dives like a waterfowl, with one plunge, 

 staying under water for several minutes, and can 

 swim under the surface without mistaking its direc- 

 tion. Its maintenance in captivity causes no trouble 

 at all. It feeds on all kinds of vegetable substances 

 like a Pig and while it requires nourishment in great 

 quantity it is by no means choice as to quality. 

 It is most partial to fresh, succulent grass; but car- 

 rots, turnips- and bean pods are also much appre- 

 ciated by it. It crops grass like a Horse, with its 



THE OCTODON. A true Rodent with 



don, shown in this picture. The form of the a 

 especially, being Rat-like. These animals live 

 age to vegetation. {Octodon ciimmingii.) 



broad incisors, and also drinks like one, absorbing 

 long draughts at each effort of suction. While it is 

 fond of warmth, it is not very sensitive to cold. It 

 plunges into icy water of streams in winter without 

 any hesitation. 



The Flesh According to the accounts of travel- 

 of the Capybara ers only Indians partake of its flesh; 

 Unpalatable. ;t j s unpalatable to Europeans owing 

 to its peculiar, insipid, oily taste. The thick hide, 

 nearly devoid of hairy covering, is exceedingly loose 

 and soft and yields a kind of leather readily per- 

 meated by water, and, in consequence, used only for 

 the manufacture of straps, an inferior sort of moc- 

 casin and pack-saddles. The Botocudo Indian girls 

 string the incisor teeth of the animal together and 

 use them as bracelets and necklaces. There is no 

 other economic use to which the animal is put. 



The South Americans, particularly the Indians, 

 hunt the Capybara for amusement's sake, taking it 

 by surprise, cutting off its retreat and throwing it 

 down with their lassos. Excepting Man, the Jaguar 

 is probably the worst foe of the Capybara. 



Gbe ©ctofcons. 



ELEVENTH FAMILY: Octodontid^e. 



This family, not very numerous, but exhibiting 

 great diversity and peculiarity in shape, comprises a 

 group of Rat-like Rodents, inhabiting South America 

 and Africa. The Octodontida; to some extent re- 

 mind us of Rats in their anatomical peculiarities and 

 coloring. The ears are short, broad and scantily 

 covered with hair; the feet have four or five toes, the 

 tail is variable in length and often shows scaly der- 

 mal rings, like those of the true Rats; but the resem- 

 blance of these animals to Rats ceases with these 

 peculiarities. The fur of some species is soft and 

 of a fine texture; that of others is wiry, bristly 

 or even intermingled with a few flat, longitudinally 

 ringed spines, and the tail is not only hairy, but 

 bushy. The teeth number four or, in exceptional 

 cases, three rooted or rootless molars in each row. 

 The Octodontidae live in forests or in the open 

 country; some prefer 

 hedges and shrubbery; 

 others make their homes 

 in plantations, along 

 roads, between rocks, 

 along the banks of rivers 

 and streams or even on 

 the sea -shore. Gener- 

 ally they live gregari- 

 ously in subterranean 

 burrows which they dig 

 and provide with numer- 

 ous outlets. Some are 

 genuine burrowers, 

 throwing up mounds 

 like those of the Moles 

 and spending nearly all 

 their life underground ; 

 others dwell in thickets 

 and nimbly climb about 

 on trees. Most of them 

 are nocturnal in their 

 habits, but a few are 

 quite active in the day- 

 time. Some species are 

 truly aquatic in their 

 habits and are excellent 

 swimmers and divers. 

 Confinement is easily borne by them; they are in- 

 quisitive, active, know and follow their keeper, and 

 furnish much amusement by their extremely grace- 

 ful ways. Their propagation is prolific, for they 

 have from two to seven young at a litter, and 

 their numbers may sometimes increase to such an 

 extent as to enable them to inflict considerable 

 damage in plantations and fields. The slight eco- 

 nomic advantage and profit which accrue from the 

 use of their flesh and fur are not worthy of any 

 comparison with the loss which they entail through 

 the destruction caused by their ravages. 



OCTODONS PROPER. 



The species Octodon, which inhabit Chile, Peru 

 and Bolivia, are as it were, intermediate in character 

 between Squirrels and Rats. Their teeth consist of 

 smooth, ridgeless, pointed incisors (or gnawing 

 teeth) and rootless molars, the upper surfaces of 

 which nearly simulate in shape the Arabic figure 

 "8" and from this they derive their name of ( >ctO- 

 don or "eight-tooth." 



sharp gnawing teeth which are always ready for business, is the Octo- 

 limal is suggestive ot both the Rat and the Squirrel, the tufted tail, 

 n South America where their gnawing propensities cause great dam- 



