ANIMALS. 317 



the length of its fur, we go to the Agouti, another species 

 equally differing in tlie shortness of its hair. These bear some 

 rude resemblance to the hare and the rabbit in their form and 

 manner of living, but sufficiently differing to require a particular 

 description. The first of these, and that the largest, as was 

 hinted above, is called the agouti This animal is found in great 

 abundance in the southern paits of America, and has by some 

 been called the rabbit of that continent. But, though in many 

 respects it resembles the rabbit, yet still in many more it differs, 

 and is, without all doubt, an animal peculiar to the new world 

 only. The agouti is about the size of a rabbit, and has a head 

 very much resembling it, except that the ears are very short in 

 comparison. It resembles the rabbit also in the arched form ot 

 its back, in the hind legs being longer than the fore, and in hav- 

 ing four great cutting-teeth, two above and two below ; but then 

 it differs in the nature of its hair, which is not soft and downy 

 as in the rabbit, but hard and bristly like that of a sucking-pig, 

 and of a reddish brown colour. It differs also in the tail, which 

 is even shorter than the rabbit, and entii-ely destitute of hair. 

 Lastly, it differs in the number of its toes, having but three on 

 the hinder feet, whereas the rabbit has live. All these distinc- 

 tions, however, do not countervail against its general form, which 

 resembles that of a rabbit, and most travellers have called it by 

 that name. 



As this animal differs in form, it differs still more in habitudes 

 and disposition. As it has the hair of a hog, so also it has its 

 voraciousness.' It eats indiscriminately of all things ; and, when- 

 satiated, hides the remainder, like the dog or the fox, for a future 

 occasion. It takes a pleasure in gnawing and spoiling eveiy 

 thing it comes near. When irritated, its hair stands erect along 

 the back, and, like the rabbit, it strikes the ground violently with 

 Its hind feet. It does not dig a hole in the ground, but burrows 

 ill the hollows of trees. Its ordinary food consists of the roots 

 ot the country, potatoes, and yams, and such fruits as fall from 

 the trees in autumn. It uses its fore-paws, like the squirrel, to 

 carry its food to its mouth : and as its hind feet are longer than the 



tail is very short or none, and they have no collar. bones. They are inhabi- 

 tants of warmer regions, live entirely on vegetable substanci's, reside under 

 ptownd or beneath the roots of trees, and move with a slow and kind ni 

 U'.ipins I'iiee, 



3 Bufleu. 



