WEST INDIA INDIGENOUS ANTMAZS. 135 
Mr. Edwards states that there anciently existed upon the 
Windward or Caribbee Islands all the animals that were found 
upon the larger islands, and some othersin addition. The latter 
were found at the time when he wrote in Guana, and few or 
none of them in North America, which helped to make him be- 
lieve that the Windward Islands were anciently peopled from 
the south. He mentions only eight eines of land animals as 
having been found in the West Indies, viz. 
1. The agouti—(‘‘the mus agutt of Tagan, and the cavy 
of Pennant and Buffon”) ‘‘constitutes an intermediate species 
between the rabbit and the rat.” He believed it extinct except 
in the larger islands. 
2. The pecary—(‘ the sus tajacu of Linnaeus, and the pecary 
and Mexican musk hog of English naturalists.”) It differed 
from the European hog in that it had a gland upon its back 
from which there was a musky discharge, while it sported gay 
colors, its bristles being pale blue tipped with white. It was 
also more courageous, and would attack the dogs that hunted 
them. In 1793 it had been exterminated in the West Indies, but 
it abounded in some portions of Mexico. 
3. The annadilla was called “‘the nine banded. It was cov- 
ered with a jointed shell or scaly armor, and rolled itself up like 
the hedge-hog. As an article of diet it was very delicate and 
wholesome.” It was once found in all the West Indies, but was 
extinct when Edwards wrote. 
4. The oppossum (or monitow) grows its own bag in which 
under its belly, it shelters and carries its young. This animal 
like the pecary, Edwards thinks was unknown in the larger 
islands. 
5. ‘The raccoon was common in Jamaica in the time of 
Sloane, who observes that it was eaten by all sorts of people.” 
It was believed to have been exterminated when Edwards wrote. 
