TIIK 7MAXV.1.V. 



It ..-.Mil-, li<>w.-v,-r. tli:it it is n-.-illy alli.-.l t" ill.- htl.-r tri-oil]. "f .-iliiin <N. rili.l it i- t!i. !.''..! 

 placed in tin- position \\hi.-h it at pn--nt holds inioologirnl catalogur*. Tin- fun if tin- .\c<.iit:i 

 ia lung, harsh, and coarse ID texture, and its color ia itn un<l<-< i<l.->l r.-<l, nu-.-.l \\itli yellow. 

 'I'll.- ii..-.- is .Mivm.-iy .-lon^at.-d. like that of the ahivw.s, an<l -t i.-m;tli.-n.-.| at ita base by a 

 -l.-ii.l.-r lx>ne, so that it appears to l>e intended for the purpose of digging in the earth like 

 those animal*. The nostrils are placed at the extremity of tin- snout, and are divided from 

 f.-n-li other I'.v a distinct furrow. The cheeka and lipa are decorated with whisker-hairs of 

 '-i-y great length ; the eyes are very small ; the ears are moderate in size, and rounded, and 

 a I in. -t .1. -\oiil of hairy covering. All the feet are terminated with five toes, and the longHa\\s 

 are curved, rather compressed, and evidently fitted for the purpose of scraping at the soil. 



Tin- tail is moderately long, measuring about nine inches in length, ami i> i-oun.|.-,l through- 

 out its length, remainder of the head and body being rather more than a foot long. It is not 

 <-.. \ep-d with hair, luit is rather naked 

 aii-1 for tin- gr.-at.-r part of its length is 

 scaly. The lower jaw ia rather shorter 

 than thi- upper. 



The teeth of the Agonta are very 

 n-markaMe, lx>th for their arrangement 

 and their form, luit an- \.-ry difficult to 

 des<Til>e. The two middle incisors of the 

 upl-r jaw are extremely large, almost 

 triangular in form, and are separated 

 from the small lateral incisors by a con- 

 -M.-rable interval. The moat singular 

 part of the dentition ia, however, found 

 in the incisors of the lower jaw, of which 

 \.-iu der Hoeven speaks as follows: 

 "The two middle incisors of the lower 

 jaw are small, narrow, placed between 

 two long conical, hollowed on the inside 

 by a deep groove; the second grooved 

 in. isorof the lower jaw distinguishes this 

 genus from all the others of which the 

 dental system is known hitherto." 

 Handbook of Zoology, vol. ii. p. 727. 



Th,e dentition of the Agouta would 

 seem to indicate that the creature was 

 insectivorous in its diet, but Mr. Hearne, 



who possessed one of these animals in a living state, remarks that its food is chiefly grain, 

 although it ia also capable of eating animal food. In general appearance the Agouta some- 

 what resembles the barn-rat of England, and might easily be mistaken for that animal if 

 seen while in motion, and for a short time only. There is supposed to be but one species of 

 this curious genus. The generic name, Solenodon, ia of Greek origin, and signifies channel- 

 toothed. 



ALTHOTT.II the water shrew has earned for itself its aquatic- title, it ia not nearly so 

 constant an inhabitant of the water as the DAK.-M AN or DK.SMAN, an animal whose very form 

 is sufficient to stamp it as a creature that lives almost exclusively in the water. A casual 

 glance at the external formation of the Daesman will at once pronounce the animal to be 

 made for swimming and diving, and its admirable adaptation for aquatic evolutions is more 

 evident as the structure of the creature is more closely examined. 



A VERY remarkable animal now comes before us, the BCLAU, TiKca, or GYMNCRA, aa 

 it L> indifferently termed. 



