MUSQUASH. 263 



(P 173) : " This Country (New York) breeds many 

 Musk Cats, especially in Marshy Grounds. These Beasts 

 are beautiful to the eye, having black Speckled Skins, 

 their Mouths full of sharp teeth, and their tails being 

 long trail after them." 



According to this work, the Musk-rat seems also to 

 have inhabited Tobago. This local variety is thus 

 described. 



(P. 382) : " The great Musk-rats are as big as a 

 Rabbet, and like them live in holes made in the ground, 

 but resemble an European Rat, only their skins are 

 black, except one part of their bellies, which are white ; 

 they smell so strong of Musk that it overcomes those 

 that carry them.' 



Dr. Richardson, in his " Northern Zoology," p. 117, 

 says that " their flesh is eaten by the Indians, and when 

 it is fat they prize it for a time, but are said to tire of 

 it soon : it somewhat resembles flabby pork." 



COYPU RAT, OR NUTRIA. 



Myopotamus coypus. 

 French : Rat gondin. German : Aife. 



This large Rodent, next in size to the Beaver, is only 

 found in Brazil, and the Argentine Republic. 



The Coypu Rat is about 2 feet long, not including the 

 tail, which is from 9 to 10 inches in length. The 

 general colour is a speckled yellowish-brown ; the cheeks 

 and belly are yellowish, the whiskers white. Many are 

 a light brown colour all over, some are nearly white, and 

 others are very dark on the back. The ears are short. 

 The water-hairs are long, about 3 inches, speckled, and 

 bristly. The tail is long, and covered with bushy hairs. 



