162 ANIMALS OF THE 



form and manner of living, but sufficiently differ- 

 ing to require a particular description. The first 

 of these, and that the largest, as was hinted 

 above, is called the Agouti. This animal is found 

 in great abundance in the southern parts of Ame- 

 rica, 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 pecu- 

 liar to the new world only. The agouti is about 

 the size of a rabbit, and has a head very much 

 resembling it, except 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-brown colour. It differs also in the tail, 

 which is even shorter than in the rabbit, and en- 

 tirely destitute of hair. Lastly, it differs in the 

 number of its toes, having but three on the 

 hinder feet, whereas the rabbit has five. All 

 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 voraciousness.* 

 It eats indiscriminately of all things, and when 



* Buffon. 



