DON FELIX d'aZARA. 59 



seven species of native mammiferse, and seven spe- 

 cies of reptiles, with numerous details respecting the 

 European animals which were introduced by the 

 Spaniards. As to the plan pursued, there is a me- 

 moir devoted to each kind of animal, which is sub- 

 divided into three parts. First, an account is given 

 of its habits, comprehending its habitat, food, num- 

 ber of its young, dispositions, its habits in confine- 

 ment, its enemies, and the domestic uses, if any, 

 to which it is applied; 2d, There is a detailed 

 description, from specimens recently killed, of its 

 external characters ; and, lastly, a critical examina- 

 tion of the accounts given by Buffon and other 

 writers. This last part forms by far the largest por- 

 tion of the whole ; and though fi-equently too prolix, 

 supplies much information.* 



The non-indigenous animals introduced to notice 

 are the Horse, Ass, Mule, Cow, Sheep, Goat, and 

 Dog. '■ The wild horses congregate every where in 

 such immense herds, that it is no exaggeration to 

 say they sometimes amount to 12,000 individuals. 

 They are most troublesome and prejudicial; for, 

 besides consuming vast quantities of pasture, they 

 gallop up to the domesticated horses wherever they 

 see them, call and caress them with their low affec- 

 tionate neighings, thus throwing them into confu- 

 sion, and easily induce them to incorporate with 

 their troops, among which they remain ever after- 

 wards. Thus it often happens, that travellers find 

 themselves unable to continue their journey ; their 

 * Hunter, p. xv. 



