l62 



The Living Animals of the World 



rhnlo ha A. S. j;,nlln,nl .t- Sna3. 



PACA. OR SPOTTED CAVY. 

 e piicas are anioLig tha lar^^er lodeots, found mainl}- in the northern I'avt of 

 tile South American region. 



spines, varying from 12 to 15 inches in 

 length. The tail also carries sjiines. 



ViSCACHAS AND CHINCHILLAS. 



On the plains of La Plata the 

 commonest large rodent is the Viscacha. 

 It assembles in societies like the prairie- 

 dogs, but is a much larger animal, from 

 18 inches to 2 feet long. Viscachas 

 always set a sentinel to give warning 

 of danger. They cut e\'ery kind of 

 vegetable near and drag them to their 

 holes ; they also have a habit of jiicking 

 up and collecting round the burrows any 

 object which strikes them as curious- 

 Articles lost by travellers, even whips or 

 boots, may generally be found there. The 

 viscacha belongs to the chinchilla family, 

 but differs much from the beautiful 

 creature of the high Andes from which chinchilla far is taken. The Common Chinchilla is 

 about 10 inches long, and the Short-tailed Chinchilla rather smaller. The exquisite fur 

 is well known. Two other chinchillas are more like hares in appearance. All four creatures 

 are found on the Andes. 



The Agi;tis and Pacas. 



South America also })roduces a family of rodents not unlike small pigs, but nearer to the 

 mouse-deer in general appearance ; they are called Agutis. IMainly forest animals, but living 

 also in the plains, they feed on grass, leaves, and plants of all kinds ; they are very swift 

 in their movements, and have much the habits of the small South African bucks. The fur is 

 long, olive- or chestnut-coloured, and thick. 



The Pacas are allied to the agutis, but are stouter; they live either in burrows made 

 by themselves, or in holes in the banks of rivers, or in old tree-roots. The pacas are 

 spotted and rather ornamentally marked ; they are found from Ecuador to Brazil and Paraguay. 



The Cavies. 



The DiNOMYS, a spotted rodent known by one 

 examjile from Peru, has been thought to fin-m. a link 

 between the pacas and the cavies, of which the 

 guinea-pig is the most familiar and the a(|uatic caiiv- 

 bara the largest. The original of our guinea-pig is 

 believed to be the Kesi'LESS Caw, a small rodent 

 common on the plains of La Plata. It is dark Ijlackish, 

 witli yellowish-grey and white hairs of the domesti- 

 cated .species ; and it is suggested that the original 

 of the jKesent name was " Guiana pig." This cavy 

 lives in thickets rather than in forests or plains. 



The Pataconian Cavy is a larger form, aliout 

 twice the size of our hare. It burrows in the 

 ground, and has a grey coat, witli yellowish markings 

 on the sides. It has been acclimatised successfully 

 in France and England. The flesh is like that of 

 the rabbit. 



I'hoio 1)1/ York d- Son'] 



I'ACAS, OB SPOTTED CAT 



'J'iil« iiljotograpb, wbicli vepvesents youn^ ; 

 great perfection tlie linear arrangement 



[Notluig 11,11. 



ii;s. 



iiiinialy, slinwa 

 of tiio «triiies. 



