Game on the Amazons. 477 



Of Deer ("Veuados" or"Suassu") there are several 

 species, all hunted for their skins and meat. Peccaries, 

 the swine of the country, exist in vast herds up the tribu- 

 taries. The flesh is excellent, if the gland is removed in 

 time. They are pugnacious fellows ; and as nothing will 

 frighten them, they become formidable antagonists. The 

 small kind is called "Samo;" the large, "Huangano." 

 In Peru the common name is "Chancho." 



Armadillo, in Quichua " Carachupa," runs slowly, but is 

 a mighty digger, getting under ground with astonishing 

 rapidity. If cornered, it rolls itself up like a hedgehog. 

 The flesh is highly prized, being sweet and tender. It is 

 usually roasted in the shell. The little Paca, of a brown 

 color with white spots, swims and dives ; the flesh resem- 

 bles young pork. The gigantic rodent, the Capybara, or 

 " Eonsaco," makes passable meat. The animal is said to 

 be capable of domestication. The Manatee, the " Peixe 

 boi " of the Lower Amazons, and " Vaca Marina " of the 

 Upper, is sought for its oil or " lard," and for its thick 

 skin, which yields excellent glue. It is now seldom 

 found over seven feet long; but formerly a single one 

 gave 100 pounds of oil. The meat has the taste of coarse 

 pork, and few civilized palates will pass it. The animal 

 is usually harpooned. 



Of birds, there are gallinaceous fowls in great variety. 

 The best of these is the Amazonian turkey, the Curassow, 

 called " Mutum " in Brazil, and " Pouheel " (for the largest 

 species) or "Puri" (the smallest) on the Napo. It ought 

 to be domesticated in the United States. There are at 

 least three kinds of Guans {Penelopi) — the handsome 

 black " Cujubim" of Brazil, and the "Pava del Monte" 

 and " Gallina del Monte " of Peru. There are many wild 

 geese and ducks ; of the latter the " Pato " {Anas vioschafa) 

 occurs on the Maranon. The large gray Heron, " Tuyii- 



