West in-dia ifbtg-en-otjs at^imals. 1^5 



Mr. Edwards states that there anciently existed upon the 

 Windward or Caribbee Ishinds all the animals that were found 

 upon the larger islands, and some others in addition. Tlie latter 

 were found at the time when he wrote in Guana, and few or 

 none of them in North America, which helped to make him be- 

 lieve that the Windward Islands were anciently peopled from 

 the south. He mentions only eight kinds of land animals as 

 having been found in the West Indies, viz, : 



1. The agouti — ("the mu9 aguti of Linnaeus, and the cavi/ 

 of Pennant and Buffon") "constitutes an intermediate species 

 between the rabbit and the rat." He believed it extinct except 

 in the larger islands. 



2. The pecary — (" the sus tajacu of Linnaeus, and the pecary 

 and Mexican musk hog of English naturalists.'") It differed 

 from the European hog in that it had a gland upon its back 

 from which there was a musky discharge, while it sported gay 

 colors, its bristles being pale blue tipped with white. It was 

 also more courageous, and would attack the dogs that hunted 

 them. In 1793 it had been exterminated in the West Indies, but 

 it abounded in some portions of Mexico. 



3. The annadilla was called " the nwi6 5a/ic?cc?. It was cov- 

 ered with a jointed shell or scaly armor, and rolled itself up like 

 the hedge-hog. As an article of diet it was very delicate and 

 wholesome." It was once found in all the West Indies, but wag 

 extinct wlien Edwards wrote. 



4. The oppossum (or monitoxi) grows its own bag in Avhich 

 under its belly, it shelters and carries its young. This animal 

 like the pecary, Edwards thinks was unknown in the larger 

 islands. 



5. " The raccoon was common in Jamaica in the time of 

 Sloane, who observes tliat it was eaten by all sorts of people." 

 It was believed to have been exterminated when Edwards wroteu 



