Traiisadiom. 53 



Strath aveu who was the donor, aud he stated that it had 

 been brought from Para in the Brazils, aud he had had 

 it in his possession for about two months. 



The size of the animal Avas somewhat that of a little 

 dog, measuring from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail 

 19 inches, and the tail measuring 13 inches. The prevail- 

 ing colour was chestnut brown, lightest on the breast and 

 abdomen ; the tail ringed, with lighter and darker shades ; 

 its legs were short, and the toes were provided with strong- 

 claws ; it used its fore paws to lift its food. When it walked 

 it set the sole of its feet upon the ground after the manner 

 of a bear. Its ears were short and rounded ; the eyes were 

 placed unusually forward, and were nearly black ; its promi- 

 nent feature was its long nose ; its teeth were small, but it 

 could give a good bite, as at first I frequently experienced in 

 my hands ; its strength was in its arms. Almost every kind 

 of food offered it was acceptable— bread and milk, potatoes, 

 now and then a bird, slugs and worms, fruits in their season', 

 was its 1)ill of ftire ; of sweets it was passionately fond, and 

 in the time for strawberries and cream it was highly de- 

 lighted. It was not very susceptible of cold. In very cold 

 weather it kept its den, which was in a box filled with fine 

 hay ; its power of generating heat was great, and it was 

 always warm in its den. Its voice was confined to a chirp 

 loudest when excited. No great sagacity was at any time 

 manifested. With myself it was familiar, but it was only 

 with myself Of late years it gave up the bad practice of 

 biting me. Strange dogs did not much alarm it, and dogs 

 generally were very shy of it, and never made an attack. 

 With my own dogs it was quite indifferent; its mentalism' 

 seemed almost wholly directed to its food. Uneventful was its 

 life, only now and then escaping from the place where it was 

 kept, and occasionally getting hold of a chicken. It was always 

 healthy and always had a good appetite. Even when its end 

 came, it came without indications of sickness or disease. In 

 the evening it had taken its food as usual, but on the morn- 

 ing of the 2-ith ultimo, when food was taken to it, it did not 

 D 



