138 RODENTIA. 



it betakes itself to rivers, swimming as readily as the otter. 

 Like the Peccary, it is without a tail, and instead of a cloven 

 hoof, its feet are partly webbed, thus fitting it for its aquatic life. 

 In its manner of walking and its color, this animal resembles the 

 pigs ; but when seated on its haunches and watching any object 

 with one eye, it has the appearance of the Cavies. The Jaguar 

 destroys it in great numbers. 



Cavia Cobaya. The COMMON CAVY or GUINEA PIG. This 

 animal, which is about as large as a rat, is distinguished for the 

 beauty and variety of its colors, and the neatness of its appear- 

 ance and habits. It is a native of South America, but has been 

 introduced into the Eastern Continent. It is the most prolific of 

 all the mammalia, producing every two months from six to twelve 

 young. A single pair soon multiply to the number of 1,000. 

 It has no tail ; its flesh is tasteless and its skin of little value. 



C. Patachonica, the PATAGONIAN CAVY, or HARE-LIKE CAVY, 

 is a burrowing animal, producing two or th-ree young at a time ; 

 in its essential details of structure is a Cavy ; but its long legs, 

 long erect ears, combined with the general form of the head, lead 

 casual observers to mistake it for the Hare, which in size it sur- 

 passes, sometimes weighing twenty or thirty pounds. 



Dasyprocta, (Gr. daavg, dasus, hairy or bristly, 7tQv)XTog,prdc* 

 tos, anus.) The yellow-nosed Cavy or AGOUTI of Brazil. This 

 animal is found in great numbers in South America. It exhibits 

 some resemblances in form and mode of living to the Hare and 

 Rabbit, and indeed is called the Rabbit of that region. The 

 toes have large and powerful claws. The Agouti, when eating, 

 sits upon its hind quarters, using the fore paws, like squirrels, to 

 hold its food. This consists ordinarily of yams, potatoes and 

 other roots, though it is almost omnivorous. It does not burrow, 

 but takes shelter in hollow trees. These animals are quite pro- 

 lific, and very destructive to sugar cane, and therefore are caught 

 and killed by the planters. 



Leporida, (Lat. lepus, a hare.) HARE FAMILY. (PI. V. fig. 5.) 



The most remarkable difference between this family and the 

 other Rodents, consists in their having behind the two incisor 

 teeth common to the group, two additional ones of smaller size 

 in the upper jaw, making four, which in young ones are increased 

 to six ; the inside of the mouth and the soles of the feet are hairy ; 

 the tail is very short or wanting; the eyes are large and promi- 

 nent ; the hind legs are usually more developed than the fore 

 ones ; the clavicles wanting ; the fur soft and copious. 



Lepus. This genus includes, among other species, Lepus tim- 

 idus, (Lat. timid.) The Common Hare. L. cuniculus, (Lat. 



