THE CARPINCHO 49 1 



Pectinator spekii is the only representative of a genus not far 

 removed from Ctenodaetyltis ; it is a smallish Iiodent, G inches in 

 lengtli, exclusive of a rather hushy tail nearly 3 inches long. 

 It comes from Abyssinia. It has somewhat the appearance of a 

 Squirrel, which is heightened by the fact that when sitting the 

 tail is arched over the liack ; when running the tail is carried out 

 straight. There are only four toes visible externally on lioth fore- 

 and hind-limbs, but pollex and hallux exist in the skeleton, with 

 a single phalanx each. There is only a single pair of mammae, 

 and in correspondence with this but two or three young are 

 produced at a time. The hind-feet have bristles very much like 

 those of Ctenodactylns. The molars, however, are |-. There are 

 twelve ribs, of which six reach the sternum. The latter is made 

 up of six pieces, and the manubrium in its breadth anteriorly 

 suggests that of the Yizcaclias. The clavicles are present.^ 



Fam. 3. Caviidae. — Tiiis family, which includes the Cavies and 



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Fig. 240. — Carpincho. flydrochoervs capyhara. x ^. 



the Capyhara, is entirely South American and West Indian in dis- 

 tribution.. It embraces animals of fair to large size, the Capyhara 

 ^ Peters, Trans. Zool. Soc. vii. 1871, ]>. 397. 



