332 Keio Genus of Mavvnaiia called Hydromlsi 



made known bv Molina. Elis description comprehends 

 pretty well the essential pointSj but is, not sufficiently mi- 

 nute. This traveller speaks of the coypou as a species of 

 ■water-rat, ot" the size and colour of an otter. Gmelin has 

 confined himself, in what he has said of the mns coypus^ to 

 copying Molina. M. d'Azzara, on the other hand, has- 

 giveii a complete description of that species, with the mea- 

 sures of the different parts of the body ; and, in general, has 

 not omitted what relates to the molar teeth. 



The coypoic is distinguished in particular from the two 

 other species, of which we shall speak hereafter, l)y its 

 great size. 



Length of the body 



' of tile tail - _ - . 



of the head 



of the extremities 



The general tint of the hair and on the back is a chestnut 

 tirown. This colour becomes brighter on the flanks, and 

 passes to bright red j under the belly it is only a dirty and 

 almost dark russet. Yet this colour is sufficiently change- 

 able according to the manner in which the coypou raises or 

 lowers its hair. This mobility in the tone of its fur arises 

 from each hair being of an ash-coloured brown at the root, 

 and bright red at the point. 



The felt concealed midcr the long hair is an ash brown, 

 of a brighter tint under the belly. The long hair on the 

 back has the points only reddish, and that on the flanks is 

 of the latler colour throughout the half of its length. 



As in all animals which go frequently into the water, the 

 hair of the tail is thin, short, stiff, and of a dirty red colour; 

 in its naked parts it is scaly. 



The contour of the mouth and extremity of the muzzle 

 arc white ; tlic whiskers, which are long and stiff", are also 

 white, some black hairs excepted. 



Among the great number of skins which form part of 

 the collection of M. Bechem, I saw some belonging to ani- 

 mals which had no doubt been affected with the albine dis- 

 ease ; in one of these the silky hairs were entirely russet, so 

 that the back appeared of the same tint as the sides and the 

 bellv ; in another, the grand dorsal stripe, instead of being 

 chestnut, had passed entirely to a red colour, tin; flanks 

 being of a very pale red. I cannot believe that these varie- 

 ties, on the one hand, were the character of youth or of the 

 female, because these accidents were rare^ considtnng the 

 / ereat 



