THE RODENTS, OR GNAWING ANIMALS 163 



and England. The flesh is like that of the 

 rabbit. 



The CAPYBARA is the largest of all rodents. 

 This species is, in fact, a gigantic water guinea- 

 pig. It is found in all the great rivers of South 

 America, from the Orinoco to the La Plata. 

 It swims as well as a water-rat, though it is as 

 large as a small pig. It feeds on weeds, water- 

 plants, and grass. A capital photograph of 

 this animal appears on page 146. 



PIKAS, HARES, AND RABBITS. 



The last two families of the Rodents have 

 a small pair of rudimentary incisor teeth be- 

 hind the large ones in the upper jaw. The 

 PIKAS, or CALLING-HARES, resemble the mar- 

 mot tribe in general appearance. Their heads 

 are short, their ears rounded, and, being tail- 

 less, they still less resemble the common hare ; 

 but their dentition marks them as allied. One 

 species, about 9 inches long, is found in Si- 

 beria ; and another, only 7 inches long, in 

 the Rocky Mountains. The former has a 

 habit of cutting grass and storing it in small 

 stacks outside its hole for winter use ; the 

 Rocky Mountain species carries its hay into 

 its burrows. 

 The HARES are a widely distributed group. They are found from the north of Scotland 



(where the gray mountain species turns white in winter) to the south of India, in South Africa, and 



across the continent of Asia to Japan. The MOUNTAIN-HARE takes the place of the brown species in 



Scandinavia, Northern Russia, and Ireland ; it is rather smaller, and has shorter ears and hind legs. 

 As early as 54 B.C., Caesar, in 



his account of Britain, writes that 



the COMMON HARE was kept by the 



ancient Britons as a pet, but not 



eaten by them. It was protected by 



the Normans in the second list, or 



schedule, of animals reserved for 



sport. The first list included the 



Beasts of the Forest, the second 



the Beasts of tJie Chase, of which 



the hare was one of the first. The 



word " chase " has here a technical 



meaning, by which was understood 



an open park, or preserved area, 



midway in dignity between a forest 



and an enclosed park. " Hare parks " 



were also made, perhaps the most 



recent being that made at Bushey 



for the amusement of the sovereign 



Ih.ta by Scholastic Photo. Co. 



PATAGONIAN CAVY 



This large sftcies of ca-vy has been acclimatised successfully both in 

 England and in France 



[Nfj, 



Bf firminitn of Profenor Bumf us} 



WOOD-HARE 



Tbit is one of the forms intermediate between the harts and rabbi: i 



