112 VERTEBRATES 



land the quills are mucli used by anglers for making fine floats. 

 The length of the Porcupine is about two feet, and its spines or 

 quills are from six to fourteen inches long. 



The Agouti is about the size of a hare, and has been con- 

 sidered, erroneously, as a kind of rabbit, or large rat, by the gene- 

 rality 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 

 ^^«^fc^^ the remainder, like the dog or the fox, 

 ^^ft^^^^^^^^^ for a future occasion. It does not, like 

 "^^^^^^^^^^ the rabbit, dig a hole in the ground, but 

 •""^^iiiirniSji^ i[<ii|i^ burrows in the holes of trees. Its ordi- 

 ^^^■''^^^^^^^ nary food consists of the roots of the 

 The A outi country, potatoes, 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 excellent ; 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 sucking pig, and of 

 such as are well fed, is tolerable food, though it has always a pecu- 

 liar taste, and is rather tough. 



It is hunted by dogs ; and whenever it goes into a sugar- 

 ground, where the canes cover the place, it is easily overtaken ; for 

 si is enibarrassed 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 

 eutrance, and conducts the smoke in such a manner that it fills the 

 whole cavity. While this is doing, the poor little animal seems 

 sensible of its danger, begs for quarter with a most plaintive cry, 

 out seldom quits its hole till the utmost extremity. 



x'be Agouti seems to be a native of the south parts of Ame- 



