CLASS I. MAMMALIA: ORDER 7. RODENTI A. 



397 



The Common Agouti, D. acuti, sometimes called the Long-nosed or Yellow-rumped Cavy, 

 from its long nose and the prevalent color of its back and shoulders, is the size of a middling 

 hare, being one foot eight inches in length, and about eleven or twelve inches high at the croup. 

 The head resembles that of the rabbit, the nose is thick and swollen, the face arched, the upper 

 lip divided, the ears round and naked, the eyes large, the upper jaw considerably longer than the 

 lower, and the tail a naked flesh-colored stump. The hairs of the upper and fore parts of the 

 body are annulated with brown, yellow, and black, which gives the animal a speckled yellow and 

 green appearance on the neck, head, back, and sides. 



THE BLACK AGOUTI. 



The Black or Crested Agouti, D. cristata, is considerably smaller than the common agouti, 

 being about the size of a rabbit, while that species approaches the dimensions of the hare. Its 

 general proportions and form, however, are the same; but the hairs of the back and sides, instead 

 of being annulated with various-colored rings as in that species, are nearly uniform black, while 

 the long hairs of the croup are perfectly so ; the belly and legs are equally covered with short 

 dark hair. There is not any appearance of crest, and the tail is still shorter than in the common 

 agouti. Both this species and the preceding seem to inhabit the same climates — Surinam, Guiana, 

 and Brazil ; the common agouti, however, appearing to have a rather more extensive range, and 

 to be likewise found in the West India islands, and even as far south as Paraguay. 



The Acouchy, or Olive Agouti, D. acuschy — the Mus leporinus of Linnaeus — is considerably 

 smaller than either of the foregoing species, and is at once distinguished by the greater length of 

 its tail, which is upward of two inches in length, not much thicker than a crow's quill, and cov- 

 ered with short scattered hairs like those on the tail of a rat. In other respects it is of the same 

 form as the other Agoutis: has the same naked round ears, the same large black eves, and 

 the same olive-green color, mixed with yellow and black. The hairs of the croup are not so long 

 as in the agoutis, but are perfectly black; and all the under parts of the body, the breast, belly, 

 and interior of the arms and thighs, straw-colored with a tinge of red. The hair of the legs and 

 feet is short and black, and that of the body much finer in quality than the hair of the Agoutis. 

 It inhabits some of the West India islands, Guiana, and the northern parts of Brazil. 



The White-toothed Agouti, D. croconata, is a species founded by Wagler upon a specimen 

 brought by Spix from the river Amazonas. It is about the same size as the common agouti, but 

 *t differs in its incisor teeth being entirely white, in having the tarsi shorter, the nails shorter, and 

 lie general hue of its fur much richer. The D. prymnolopha is a species - described by Wagler, 

 which inhabits Guiana. It is very beautiful, and is readily distinguished by the broad black band 

 which runs along the hinder half of the back, and which is continued to the tail. 



The Sooty Agouti, D. fuliginosa, is called D. nigricans by Natterer, and D. nigra by Dr. 



