474 
CUBA. 
walk is almost absolutely plantigrade, and tbeir 
movements are slow, their hinder parts appearing 
when in motion to be as embarrassed as the bear’s.’ 
‘ They take occasional leaps, suddenly turning round 
from head to tail, like the field mouse ; and they 
gallop when at play, and make a noise with the soles 
of their feet.’ ‘ They climb with ease, assisting them- 
selves with their tails as a support, and they use the 
same in descending.’ ‘ They often raise themselves 
to a listening posture, sitting erect, with the hands 
hanging down, like rabbits and hares ; and in eating 
they employ sometimes both, at other times one, of 
their hands only.’ When the substance is small 
enough to be held between their fingers and the 
tubercle at the base of the thumb, the single hand is 
then put in requisition. If the Jamaica species 
should not prove to be the second Cuba one to which 
Pdppig has given the name of Capromys prehensiliSf 
and about which there exists some doubt among 
naturalists, I should suggest C. hrachyurus as a dis- 
tinctive name for our Cony. 
“ I cannot much depend on the Negro statements 
respecting its prehensile powers ; they represent 
them as feeble, or not frequently put in requisition. 
They seem to me only to have seen the Cony under 
the hurry of alarm ; for they tell me, they will attempt 
to scramble up trees, but generally fall back, unable 
to make good their hold. I have observed the 
Capromys of Cuba in ascent. Some three or four of 
them confined in a capacious pen in which trees were 
growing, were very familiar ; and being exposed to 
no apprehension when looked at, or even when 
