314 



ZOOLOGY OF 



forests, found in all parts of the Amazon. They have very 

 small unbranched horns. 



Mazama campestris? — The Viado galera," or horned deer 

 of the Rio Branco, is probably of this species. It has small 

 branched hornSy and inhabits the open plains, never the thick 

 forests. 



Dicotyles tmagu. The smaller wild Hog. Taiti tu of the Indians. 

 Z>. labiatus ? — The larger species, called by the natives 

 " Taiagu." 



There seems to be also a third species, of the same size as 

 the last. 



Arctopithecus flaccidus ? Preguiga real. Ai, (Lingoa Geral). 

 The great Sloth. 



Bradypus torquatus. Ai, (Lingoa Geral). — These and some 

 other species of sloths are not uncommon. They feed entirely 

 on leaves, preferring those of the Cecropias, They are frequently 

 attacked by the harpy eagle, and are also eaten by the 

 Indians. 



Myrmecophaga juhata, Tamandua assu, (Lingoa Geral). "The 

 great Ant-eater." — This animal is rare, but widely distributed. 

 During rain it turns its long bushy tail up over its back and 

 stands still ; the Indians, when they meet with one, rustle the 

 leaves, and it thinks rain is falling, and turning up its tail, they 

 take the opportunity of killing it by a blow on the head with a 

 stick. It feeds on the large termites, or white ants, tearing up 

 with its powerful claws the earth and rotten wood in which 

 their nests are made. The Indians positively assert that it 

 sometimes kills the jaguar, embracing it and forcing in its 

 enormous claws, till they mutually destroy each other. They 

 also declare that these animals are all females, and believe that 

 the male is the " curupira,'' or demon of the forests : the 

 peculiar organisation of the animal has probably led to this 

 error. It lives entirely on the ground. 



Tamandua tetradactylus ? The smaller Prehensile-tailed 

 Ant-eater. — This animal is entirely arboreal, feeding on the 

 tree termites ; it has no nest, and sleeps in a fork of a tree 

 with its head bent under its body. 



Cyclothurus didactylus, Tamanduai, (Lingoa Geral). The 

 small Silky-haired Ant-eater, — is arboreal, and rather abundant. 

 There is another species much smaller, and as white as cotton ; 

 but it is rare, and I never met with it. 



