428 AGOUTI DASYrROCTA. 



Having watched them from ahnost within ai m's-lengtli and tliey 

 him for several minutes, they rushed into the water with the 

 greatest impetuosity, emitting at the same time their usual 

 bark. After diving a short distance they came again to the 

 surface, but just showed the upper part of their heads. When 

 the female is swimming and lias young ones, they are said to 

 sit on her back. 



The capybara is classed with the Cavidae or guinea-pig tribe. 

 When not persecuted, it is very tame ; but in the regions 

 frequented by the jaguar it becomes his easy and constant 

 prey. It is of a mild disposition, and is sometimes tamed. 

 Its flesh is rather dry, and has a somewhat musky flavour, 

 but affords wholesome food to man. 



AGOUTI DASYPROCTA. 



Of agoutis there are several species. The larger agouti, 

 mara, or Patagonian cou}^ — twice the size of a hare — are seen 

 three or four together, hopping quickly one after the other in 

 a straight line across the Pampas. It is somewhat like a 

 hare, but has the external coverino- of a hoo- its lono- coat 

 concealing its little stump of a tail. It has also the hog's 

 voracious appetite. 



It is fond of occupying the burrows of the bizcacha when 

 it finds them, but when they do not exist it is compelled to 

 make a house for itself It here stores away the food it does 

 not require for present use. When eating, it sits up like the 

 squuTel, using its fore-paws to convey the food to its mouth. 

 Its hind-legs being very long, it leaps over the ground at 

 considerable speed. As it is very fond of the sugar-cane, 

 wherever plantations exist it is hunted without mercy, and 

 driven from the district. 



