the river'^. and the deepest lakes^ and can remain 

 a long time under water without respiring. It 

 feeds upon fish and crabs, and is usually sur- 

 prised and killed bv the hunters when it goes fo 

 void its excrements, which it regularly does 

 every day, like a cat, in the same place. It is a 

 voracious animal, and so fearless that it fre- 

 quently robs the nets and baskets of fish in the 

 presence of the fishermen. The female h-as tuo 

 or three young at a litter, and the period of ges- 

 tation, if I am not misinformed, is about five 

 months. 



The coijpu (mus coypu) is a species of water- 

 rat, of the size of the otter, which it resembles 

 in its hair ai;d external appearance. It has 

 round cars, and a long nose covered with whis- 

 kers ; the feet are short, the tail large and of a 

 moderate length well covered with hair, and in 

 each jaw are two very sharp incisors. The feet 

 have each five toes, those of the fore feet are un- 

 conncclcd bv a membrane, but those of the hind 

 arc pahmited. Though the conformation of 

 this animal evinces thut it is inteiided as an in- 

 habitant of the Avater, it nevertheless lives very 

 w^ell upon the land, and even in houses, where it 

 is easily tamed, and soon becomes reconciled to 

 a domestic state. It ea^s any tiling tliat is given 

 it, and appears to be susceptible of mnch at- 

 tachment to the person who feeds it. lis cry is 

 a sharp shriek, but it never utters it except when 



