270 RODENTIA. 



(P. 830) : " The language of the Vizcacha is wonderful 

 for its variety. When the male is feeding he frequently 

 pauses to utter a succession of loud, percussive, and 

 somewhat jarring cries; these he utters in a leisurely 

 manner, and immediately after goes on feeding. Often 

 he utters this cry in a low grunting tone. One of his 

 commonest expressions sounds like the violent hawking 

 of a man clearing his throat. At other times he bursts 

 into piercing cries, which may be heard a mile off, 

 beginning like the excited and quick repeated squeals of 

 a young pig, and growing longer, more attenuated, and 

 quavering towards the end. After returning alarmed 

 into the burrows, he repeats at intervals a deep internal 

 moan." 



(P. 831): "It is a very unusual thing to eat the 

 Vizcacha, most people, and especially the Gauchos, 

 having a silly unaccountable prejudice against their 

 flesh. I have found it very good, and while engaged 

 writing this paper have dined on it in several ways. 

 The young animals are rather insipid, the old males 

 tough, but the mature females are excellent, the flesh 

 being tender, exceedingly white, fragrant to the nostrils, 

 and with a very delicate game flavour." 



SPEING HAAS. 



Helamys capensis. 



The Spring Haas reminds one of the Lagotis, but it is 

 larger, being about 18 inches in length. The tail is 

 long, nearly the same length as the body, and is covered 

 with hair, which is black at the tip. The hair is 

 bristly, and the general colour is light brown, but the 

 belly is pure white. The skin is of little or no value. 

 This Eodent inhabits South Africa. 



