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houses to search for eggs, and passes fearlessly- 

 through the midst of the dogs, who instead of at- 

 tacking him generally fly at his approach. The hus- 

 bandmen themselves are averse to shooting this ani- 

 mal on such occasions, lest, should they fail of killing 

 it outright, they should be annoyed by its nauseous 

 stench. In order to free themselves from this un- 

 welcome visitor, they have recourse to another 

 method, which is attended with less risque. Some 

 of the company begin by caressing it, until an op- 

 portunity ofíers for one of them to seize it by the 

 tail and hold it suspended. In this position the 

 muscles becoming contracted, the animal is unable 

 to eject the fluid, and is dispatched with safety. 

 The chingue J however, never has recourse to this 

 mode of annoyance against those of its own species, 

 but employs in fighting with them its teeth and claws. 

 It preys upon eggs and poultry, which it is very 

 dexterous in taking. Its skin is closely ^covered 

 with very soft long hair, and retains nothing of that 

 offensive smell which might naturally be supposed. 

 The Indians, when they can obtain a sufficient num- 

 ber of these skins, make of them coverings for their 

 beds, which they value highly for their beauty and 

 the softness of the hair. 



The cuja (mustela cuja) is a small animal resem- 

 bling a ferret in its size, form and teeth, and also in 

 the disposition of its toes, and its manner of living. 

 The eyes are black, and the nose a little turned up 

 at the end like a hog's ; its hair is black, thick, and 

 extremely soft, and the tail, which is of the length 

 of its body, is closely covered with it. Its principal 



