476 
SPANISH TOWN. 
previous nights, that the Cony’s confidence is well 
secured, the springe is set, and the morning scarcely 
ever fails to exhibit him caught and strangled. 
Jan, 1851. — I procured the other day an 
Indian Cony, and have the head, feet, and tail in 
spirits, to be transmitted to you by the first vessel 
for England. I am led to think you will find, on 
examining these several parts, that our animal is the 
Plagiodontia (Bdium of your extracts. In pressing 
the limbs to stow them, I observed the tight manner 
in which the fore-paws closed up, showing great 
power of prehension, and the extent to which the 
hind toes under a similar degree of force expanded 
and stretched out. The hand, though thumhless, 
has evidently all the grasp peculiar to the Squirrel, 
and the hind feet more of a capacity for pressing 
rugged surfaces than belongs to the feet of the Rabbit. 
Every observer concurs in representing the Indian 
Cony as frequently sitting up while eating, hut few 
assign to it that ability in using the hand that is 
given to the Agouti and the Capromys, and all 
doubt whether it has much power to hold the food 
and carry it to the mouth single-fisted. I could have 
wished I had seen a living specimen, not alone for 
making observations on this uncertain point; hut 
specially for another matter in which this particular 
animal is interesting above all others whatever. The 
teats are not, like those of rabbits, or other allied races, 
placed on lines from the belly to the breast. They 
are situated midway between the belly and the bach, 
that is, just at the extremity of the short- ribs along the 
sides, where they shoot out backward as protuberant 
