178 



THE GUAZU-PITA. 



PLATE XVIII. 



Del Guazu-pita, Azara^ Apuntamientos, i. p. 51. Cervus 

 rufus, F. Cuvier and Desmarest. The Pita Brochet, Su- 

 bulo rufus, H. Smith ; Griff. Cuv. iv. p. UQ.Lichten- . 

 stein^ Saagethiere, pi. xx., male, female, and young. 



FIRST noticed by Azara, and named by him a? 

 above, from the red colouring of the hair. They in- 

 habit the low, moist woods, and are polygamous ; 

 hence ten females are generally seen for one male, 

 which gave rise to the idea that South America pos- 

 sessed deer without horns at all. They are very 

 fleet for a short time, but are easily tired and over- 

 taken by dogs, and are sometimes taken with the 

 lasso and balls. 



The height at the shoulders is about twenty-nine 

 inches. The general colour of the body is a reddish- 

 brown. The inside of the ears is whitish, the hairs 

 very short. The same whitish colour surrounds the 

 lips, the lower part of the head, and of the tail, the 

 hinder part of the belly, the buttocks, and the inside 

 of the fore legs, reaching to the knees. The females 

 want the horns entirely, are nearly of the same red 



