262 MAMMALIA— AGOUTI. 



latter chance to be dirtied, the mother will never again suffer them to come 

 near her. If kept in a room, it seldom crosses the floor, but creeps round 

 by the wall. 



These animals are so delicate, that it is with difficulty they undergo the 

 rigors of winter. When they feel the cold, they assemble together, press 

 close to one another, and in this situation are frequently found dead. 



THE AGOUTI. 1 



This animal is about the size of a hare, and has ' been considered, errone- 

 ously, as a kind of rabbit, or large rat, by the generality of nomenclators. 

 As it has the hair of a hog, so also it has the voracious appetite of that 

 animal. It eats indiscriminately of all things ; and when satiated, it hides 

 the remainder, like the dog or the fox, for a future occasion. 



It does not, like the rabbit, dig a hole in the ground, but burroAvs in the 

 holes of trees. Its ordinary food consists of the roots of the country, pota- 

 toes, 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 fore ones, it runs very swiftly upon plain ground, or 

 up a hill, but upon a descent it is in danger of falling. Its sight is excel- 

 lent ; its hearing equals that of any other animal ; and whenever it is 

 whistled to, it stops to hearken. The flesh is dressed like that of a suck- 

 ing pig, and of such as are well fed, is tolerable food, though it has always 

 a peculiar taste, and is rather rough. 



It is hunted by dogs ; and whenever it goes into a sugar ground, where the 

 canes cover the place, it is easily overtaken ; for it is embarrassed every step 

 it takes, so that a man may easily come up with it and kill it, without any other 

 assistance than a stick, When in the open country, it usually runs with 

 great swiftness before the dogs until it gains its retreat, within which it 

 continues to hide, and nothing but filling the hole with smoke can force it 

 out. For this purpose the hunter burns faggots or straw at the entrance, 



' Dasyproda acuti, Lin. The genus Dasyprocta has two upper and two lower inci- 

 sors ; no canines ; eiu-ht upper and eisht lower molars. Head rather elongated ; fore- 

 head flat : muzzle thick ; eyes large and projecting ; fore feet with four toes and a rudi- 

 mentary tiiunib ; hind legs longer than tliose before, with three toes and strong nails; 

 sole of the foot naked and callous. 



