THE STRANGEST OF ALL RODENTS 259 



yellow of the Golden Agouti. A sufficient number are trapped 

 each year to keep the zoological gardens of the world well 

 supplied. In size a typical Agouti is a little larger than a 

 cotton-tail rabbit. Following the curves of the body, the length 

 of an adult animal to the base of the 1-inch tail is 22 inches. 

 The Paca, or Spotted Cavy (Coelogenys paca), is the 

 Agouti's nearest relative; but it is very much larger, and 

 more stockily built. It may be recognized at sight by its 

 chocolate-brown body color ornamented on each side by 

 four conspicuous horizontal lines of white blotches or spots. 

 It inhabits nearly the whole of South America, but of course 

 it is much more rare in some localities than in others. There 

 are several species, and the commonest is usually to be found 

 in every large collection of living animals. 



THE CAPYBARA AND THE CAVY 



Family Cavidae 



The Capybara, or Chigwiri (Hydrochoerus capybara) of 

 the South American rivers is the strangest of all rodents, 

 and also by a long margin the largest. Its nearest relative, 

 the Cavy, resembles it about as much as a rabbit resembles 

 a prize hog, but no more. 



The Capybara and the author are old acquaintances; 

 also old friends. Years ago the former saved the latter 

 from complete starvation by yielding up certain skins, skele- 

 tons, and flesh to the cause of science. In 1870, in the dry- 

 est part of the dry season, we hunted Capybaras from Sacu- 

 pana, in the delta of the Orinoco, with Don Alfredo Dally- 

 costa, of Ciudad Bolivar. It was an aquatic expedition, aided 



