52 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



The Epafl^ by the Spaniards called Zorrillo^ fitiall fox, 

 is lefs known in Europe by the beauty of its Ikin than the 

 intolerable flink it leaves behind when huntfmeii are m 

 clofe purfuit of it (^). 



The Tlacuatzin^ which in other countries bears the 

 names of Chincha^ Sarigua^ and Opojfum^ has been de- 

 fcribed by many writers, and is much celebrated on 

 account of the double ikin to the belly in the female, 

 which reaches from the beginning of the ftomach to the 

 orifice of the womb, covering its teats, has an opening 

 in the middle to admit its young, where they arc guard- 

 ed and fuckled. In creeping, or climbing over the walls 

 of houfes, it keeps the fl<:in dillended, with the entrance 

 jfhut, fo that its young cannot drop out ; but when it 

 wilhes to fend them abroad to begin to provide food for 

 themfelves, or to let them re-enter either to be fuckled 

 or fecured from danger, it opens the entrance by relaxing 

 the ikin, difguifing her burden while flie carries them, 

 and her delivery every time Ihe lets them out. This cu- 

 rious quadruped is the deftroyer of all poultry. 



The Ajotochtli^ called by the Spaniards Armadillo^ or 

 Encobertado^ and by others 'Jatu^ is well known to Eu- 

 ropeans by the bony fcales which cover its back, refem- 

 bling the ancient armour of horfes. The Mexicans 

 gave it the name of Ajotochtli^ from an imperfect like- 

 iiefs it has to the rabbit, when it puts out its head and 



throws 



{g) Mr. Buffon enumerates four fpecies of the Epatl under the generic name 

 of Moitffdes. He obferves afterwarde, that the two firft which he names Coafi 

 and Conipata^ are from North America, and the Chincho and Zorrillo, which are 

 the two others, are from South America. We find no grounds to believe thefc 

 four different fpecies, but only four varieties of the fame fpecies. The name 

 Coafo, or fquafs taken from Dampier the navigator, who affirms the term to be 

 common in New Spain, was never heard of in all that country. The Indians 

 of Yucatan, where that navigator was, call that quadruped Pai. 



