CARPING HO. 185 



differ from the other cavies in being diurnal. To protect its eyes from the glare of 

 the midday sun, the mara has well-developed eyelashes, which are wanting in its 

 nocturnal allies. In disposition these cavies are extremely shy and timid, taking 

 to flight at the least alarm, and generally trusting to their legs, rather than to the 

 .shelter of their burrows, for safety. Their food consists chiefly of grass and the 

 roots and stems of such other plants as grow near their burrows. Of their repro- 

 duction, it is only known that the female produces twice in the year from two to 

 five young, which are born and nurtured in the burrow. They have been introduced 

 by Sir E. G. Loder into his park near Horsham, having bred there several times. 



Maras are among the few mammals that habitually enjoy basking in the 

 full sunshine. When thus reposing it usually lies stretched out on its side or 

 flat on its belly ; and in the latter posture, as shown in the central figure of our 

 engraving, bend the fore-foot backward in a manner unlike any other rodent. 

 When disturbed, they at once assume a sitting position, resting on their fore-feet 

 .and heels, and raising their heads as high as possible in order to see whence the 

 danger comes. After taking to flight, they generally stop when they have run 

 fifty or a hundred paces, and turn to look round ; repeating this process after 

 having again run a short distance. When caught young, they can be tamed 

 without much difficulty, although they require to be tethered. By the natives 

 mara are hunted for their flesh ; but this, although white when cooked, is described 

 .as being dry and tasteless. 



Fossilised remains of three species of these animals have been obtained from 

 the caves of Lagoa Santa, in Brazil ; one of these being probably inseparable from 

 the existing form. 



The carpincho or capivara (Hydrochcerus capivara), which takes 

 its second name from a Spanish modification of the native term 

 capugua, is the largest of living Kodents, reaching a length of about 4 feet, and 

 weighing 98 Ibs. From this large size, coupled with its bristly hair and grunting 

 cry, the animal is often designated the water-hog. It is a rodent of bulky build, 

 with moderately long legs, small ears, cleft upper lip, no tail, and short webs between 

 the short-nailed toes. The neck is short ; the head long, broad, and much flattened 

 above ; the eyes large and widely separated ; and the ears with a notch in their 

 hinder border. The hind-legs are considerably longer than the front pair. The 

 skin is clothed somewhat sparsely with long and coarse hair, of a reddish brown 

 colour above, and brownish yellow beneath ; the bristles around the mouth being 

 black. The upper incisor teeth are marked with a broad and shallow groove in 

 front ; while the molars are characterised by the great complexity of the last tooth 

 of the series. Thus in the upper jaw the last molar comprises some twelve trans- 

 verse plates, and exceeds the united length of the three teeth in front of it ; while 

 in the lower jaw the corresponding tooth is somewhat less complex, although still 

 much larger than either of the others. This complexity of the last molar, which is 

 quite unparalleled elsewhere among the rodents, presents a condition analogous to 

 "that existing in the wart-hogs. 



The carpincho is distributed over the whole of Eastern South 

 Distribution. 



America, as far south as the Rio de la Plata ; and also extends west- 

 wards into the lowlands of Bolivia and Peru. The existing species occurs in the 



