CAVIES — CARPINCHO— HARES— ARMADILLOS 



373 



One of the most noteworthy species is the Peruvian cavy (Cavia cutleri), which 

 may very probably have been the ancestor of the guinea-pig. Another species 

 (C. porcellus), distributed through Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, is found 

 exclusively in marshy places on the forest borders. The Bolivian cavy (C. boli- 

 viensis), which is smaller than the last, lives in large colonies, and in many 

 districts completely undermines the ground. Among other species, the small 

 rock-cavy (0. rupestris), which is remarkable for its exceedingly short claws, 

 inhabits certain parts of Brazil, and does not dig a burrow. 



The largest member of the Cavidce, and, indeed, of all living 

 rodents, is the carpincho, or capivara (Hydrochcerus capivara), a 

 species measuring about 48 inches in length, with brown bristly hair and webbed 



Carpincho. 



PACA. 



feet. It ranges from Argentina northwards over the east of South America, 

 occurring also in the plains of Bolivia and Peru. An exclusively aquatic animal, 

 it swims and dives excellently. Carpinchos wander about in herds, probably 

 having no fixed abode, though visiting more or less the same places on the river 

 banks, where they lazily spend their time eating and resting. 



The widely spread group of hares is represented in South 



America by several species, among which the tiny Brazilian hare 

 (Lepus brasiliensis) is a near relative of the North American wood-hare. 



South and Central America form the exclusive home of the more 



typical groups of edentate mammals, with the exception that one 

 armadillo has wandered into Texas. With the aforesaid exception, armadillos are 

 more or less confined to the warmer countries of Central and South America, gener- 

 ally living in dry districts in the forests and pampas, where they dig their burrows 



Hares. 



Armadillos. 



