12 



The Naturalist in La Plata. 



cries of wounded and suffering men ; and among 

 them the mother-coypii is seen with her progsny, 

 numbering eight or nine, with as many on her back 

 as she can accommodate, while the others swim after 

 her, crying for a ride. 



With reference to this animal, which, as we have 

 seen, is prolific, a strange thing once happened in 

 Buenos Ay res. The coypu was much more abun- 

 dant fifty years ago than now, and its skin, which 



Coypu. 



has a fine fur under the long coarse hair, was largely 

 exported to Europe. About that time the Dictator 

 Rosas issued a decree prohibiting the hunting of 

 the coypu. The result was that the animals in- 

 creased and multiplied exceedingly, and, abandoning 

 their aquatic habits, they became terrestrial and 

 migratory, and swarmed everywhere in search of 

 food. Suddenly a mysterious malady fell on them, 

 from which they quickly perished, and became 

 almost extinct. 



