358 



ANIMALS OF 



chiefly reside, when they observe the hole, 

 generally stay till winter before they think 

 proper to open it ; for if they begin too soon, 

 the animal wakes, and as it has a surprising 

 faculty of digging, makes its hole deeper in 

 proportion as they follow. Such as kill it for 

 food, use every art to improve the flesh, which 

 is said to have a wild taste, and to cause 

 vomitings." They, therefore, take away the 

 fat, which is in great abundance, and salt the 

 remainder, drying it somewhat in the manner 

 of bacon. Still, however, it is said to be very 

 indifferent eating. This animal is found in 

 Poland under the denomination of the boback, 

 entirely resembling that of the Alps, except 

 that the latter has a toe more upon its fore- 

 foot than the former. It is found also in Siberia 

 under the name of the jevraska, being rather 

 smaller than either of the other two. Lastly, 

 it is found in Canada by the appellation of the 

 monax, differing only from the rest in having 

 a bluish snout and a longer tail. 



THE AGOUTI. 



FROM the marmout, which differs from the 

 hare so much in the length of its fur, we go to 

 the Agouti, another species equally differing in 

 the shortness of its hair. These bear some rude 

 resemblance to the hare and the rabbit in their 

 form and manner of living, but sufficiently 

 differing to require a particular description. 

 The first of these, and that the largest, as was 

 hinted above, is called the agouti. This ani- 

 mal is found in great abundance in the sou- 

 thern parts of America, and has by some been 

 called the rabbit of that continent. But, though 

 in many respects it resembles the rabbit, yet 

 still in many more it differs, and is, without 

 all doubt, an animal peculiar to the new world 

 only. The agouti is about the size of a rabbit, 

 and has a head very much resembling it, ex- 

 cept that the ears are very short in comparison. 

 It resembles the rabbit also in the arched form 

 of its back, in the hind legs being longer than 

 the fore, and in having four great cutting teeth, 

 two above and two below ; but then it differs 

 in the nature of its hair, which is not soft and 

 downy as in the rabbit, but hard and bristly 

 like that of a sucking pig, and of a reddish 



Dictionaire Raisonee, voL iii. p. 29. 



brown colour. It differs also in the tail, which 

 is even shorter than in the rabbit, and entirely 

 destitute of hair. Lastly, it differs in the 

 number of its toes, having but three on the 

 hinder feet, whereas the rabbit has five. AH 

 these distinctions, however, do not countervail 

 against its general form, which resembles that 

 of a rabbit, and most travellers have called it 

 by that name. 



As this animal differs in form, it differs still 

 more in habitudes and disposition. As it has 

 the hair of a hog, so also it has its voracious- 

 ness. 1 ' It eats indiscriminately of all things ; 

 and, when satiated, hides the remainder, like 

 the dog or the fox, for a future occasion. It 

 takes a pleasure in gnawing and spoiling every 

 thing it comes near. When irritated, its hair 

 stands erect along the back, and, like the rab- 

 bit, it strikes the ground violently with its hind 

 feet. It does not dig a hole in the ground, 

 but burrows in the hollows of trees. Its 

 ordinary food consists of the roots of the coun- 

 try, potatoes and yams, and such fruits as fall 

 from the trees in autumn. It uses its fore- 

 paws, like the squirrel, to carry its food to its 

 mouth : and as its hind feet are longer than 

 the fore, it runs very swiftly upon plain ground 

 or up a hill, but upon a descent it is in danger 

 of falling. Its sight is excellent, and its hear- 

 ing equals that of any other animal ; whenever 

 it is whistled to, it stops to hearken. The 

 flesh of such as are fat and well fed is tolerable 

 food, although it has a peculiar taste, and is a 

 little tough. The French dress it like a suck- 

 ing pig, as we learn from Mr. Buffon's account ; 

 but the English dress it with a pudding in its 

 belly, like a hare. It is hunted by dogs ; and 

 whenever it has got into a sugar-ground, 

 where the canes cover the place, it is easily 

 overtaken, for it is embarrassed every step it 

 takes, so that a man may easily come up with 

 it without any other assistance. When in the 

 open country, it usually runs with great swift- 

 ness before the dogs until it gains its retreat, 

 within which it continues to hide, and nothing 

 but filling the hole with smoke can force it out. 

 For this purpose, the hunter burns faggots or 

 straw at the entrance, and conducts the smoke 

 in such a manner that it fills the whole cavity. 

 While this is doing, the poor little animal seems 

 sensible of its danger, and begs for quarter 



t> Buffon. ' 



