TIII: M i AM 



176 



iti.-s when it la once placed in an enclosure and funiish.il with regular food. It appears 



hardly to ! ca|ib|e of distinguishing kindness f,,, m cruelty, and display s but little emotion 

 at th.- presence of the penon who brings its daily f.N>d. It is naturally : , ^.-ntle creature, and 

 when .aptui.il will not attempt to bite the hand that s.-i-s it. |, M t only gives x.-nt to a piteous 

 squeak as it f.-els its,. If made a piNoner. The tlwh of the Agouti i- -,d ^HH| flavored, 



and is thought to n-s.-ml.le a mixture of the hare and rabbit. In some . ..mm i.-s w hi. li it 

 inhabits it is commonly eaten, while in others a prejudice prevails aguinM it- .m article 



of diet. 



The name. l>.i-\ |.i.x-ta, which ha.s M-en given to the genus, n-f.-is to the thick hair wliich 

 falls over the hind qn , ml nearly conceals th- little ]M.int,il stump of a tail. The hair 



MABA.-/WMM* 



of this jwrt of the body IM a hriirht i:old^n-hrown, hut on the Iwick anl si.l.-s tin- fur has a 

 curious sjMvkl.il as]H-.-t. mi aci-onnt of the black, brown, and yellow tints with which each hair 

 in marked. On the greater jwirt of the body the fur is only alxmt one im-h in l.-n-ih. but the 

 golden-brown hair of the hinder part- is more than fnr inches long. In character it in coarse, 

 though glossy. 



Thouirh all th.- SJMI-J.-S ar. fiiniisli.-<l with jKjwerful claws, the Aironti is incapable of 

 climhiiu: trees or digging burrows. It is said to have some idea of laying up provisions, and 

 to hid,- any Mi|M>rahundunce of food in some place of concealment. In size it equals Un- 

 common rabbit, but d.-s n.,t equal the hare. 



BKTWKKV the air.mtis and the pacas is j)lac,-l th.- M\i:\. or Patagonian Cavy, aa it la 

 soiii.'tini.-s railed, an animal which is remarkably swift fora short distance, but is so easily 

 fatigued that it can U- nin down by a man on hoi-s,-bark. It i- nioj-,- tamable than the agouti. 

 and is oft.-n kept in a state of domestication. In-im: ]-rmitt,sl to rang*- the house and pi.-mi--^ 

 at will. It is generally found in couples, a male and hi- male occupying the same " form." 

 It diH-s not s,-em t.. burniw. nor to keep so close to ii- n treat as the agouti, but la fond of 



