12 



The Nafitralist in La Plata. 



cries of wounded and suffering men ; and among 

 them the mother-coypii is seen with lier progeny, 

 numbering eiglit or nine, with as many on her back 

 as she can accommodate, while the others swim after 

 her, crying for a ride. 



With reference to this animal, which, as ^vo have 

 seen, is prohflc, a strange thing once happened in 

 Buenos Ayres. The coypu was much more abun- 

 dant fifty years ago than now, and its skin, which 



C'jTpd. 



has a fine fur under the long coarse tiair, was largely 

 exported to Europe. About that time the Dictator 

 Rosas issued a decree prohibiting the hunting of 

 the coypu. The result was that the animals in- 

 creased and multiplied exceedingly, and, abandonino- 

 their aquatic habits, they became terrestrial and 

 migratory, and swarmed everywhere in search of 

 food. Suddenly a mysterious malady fell on them, 

 from which they quickly perished, and Ijecame 

 almost extinct. 



