SPECIES OF MAMMALIA. 



Mus Coypus, Gmelin. Hydromys Coypus, Geoff. Ann. 

 Mus. VI. 90. Myopotamus Canariensis, /. 1^1 , from Coni' 

 merson MSS. 



Carpon, Molina Chili. Quocuya, d'Azara, Paraguay, 

 II. 5. 



Icon. Geoffrey, I. c. f. 35. 



Inhabits parts of South America. Mus. Brooks. 



Obs. Specimens are found which vary considerably in 

 colour. 



This is the type of M. F. Cuvier's germs Myopotamus, vehich 

 has been adopted by Desmarest, and all modern authors. 

 The genus w^as first proposed by Commerson. It is pe- 

 culiar to South America, and very nearly allied to the 

 Beaver. 



The fur of the animal is known to the furriers, by the 

 name of Racoonda, and is used in the place of Beaver-fur to 

 make hats. 



Mus. Incisors^; canines, §£-; cheek-teeth, ^=16; 

 :heek-teeth furnished with tubercles ; ears oblong, or round, 

 learly naked, without cheek-pouches ; anterior feet with four 

 )oes, and a wart, covered with an obtuse nail, in the place of 

 % thumb ; posterior feet pentadactylous ; tail long, naked, 

 ind scaly ; fur, with a few long scattered hairs, extending 

 beyond the rest, which, in some species, become spines, like 

 \hose on the Echymys. 



* Spineless Rats of t/ie Old Continent. 



514. 1. M. Giganteus (the Malabar Rat.) Dark brown 

 )n the back, gray on the belly ; feet black ; body above a 

 ■Qot long. 



Mus Giganteus, Hardwick, Lin. Trans, t. vii. Mus 

 ^alabaricus, P<?7i. Qvxid. vi. 7i. 377. 



Icon. Hardwick, I. c. tab. 8. 



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