AN AQUATIC RODENT 
obviously termed Megamys, with a body as big as an ox. 
The capybara is contented with the bulk of a sheep. It 
is a rodent whose nearest living allies are the Patagonian 
cavy, which looks like a weird long-legged hare, and of 
which there are always examples in the Gardens, and of 
the restless cavy, better known, when domesticated, as 
the Guinea pig. It might be thought that the name of 
the latter forbade any close alliance with the American 
carpincho. But Guinea in this case is merely a corrup- 
tion of Guiana. All the members of this family of rodents 
are in fact limited to the southern half of the American 
continent. The capybara, whose scientific name is Hydro- 
choerus capybara, which of course—the generic name 
that is—signifies water hog, is much addicted to water, 
and has distinct points of likeness to the ungulates gen- 
erally, if not to the pigsin particular. The skin is thick, 
and rather sparsely haired, with cagarse hairs as com- 
pared to such a rodent as the squirrel, or even its ally, 
the Guiana pig. The toes are reduced in number, which 
is, as we have seen, an ungulate character ; their nails 
are approaching towards hoofs in character ; and finally 
the last molar tooth is of great length, as in the wart hog 
and, indeed, the elephant. Being largely aquatic it is 
not surprising to find that the hind toes are to some 
extent webbed. These creatures are sociable and fre- 
quent banks of rivers, whence they constantly plunge 
into the water, in which element they are adept swimmers. 
They delight in wallowing in mud like other thick- 
skinned beasts. Their gait is a clumsy gallop, and is 
compared by Mr. Aplin with that of the Guiana pig. 
The step of the carpincho in fact betrays the cavian. 
The blundering way in which these heavy rodents 
charge when disturbed is a source of terror to horses, 
who will not face them. They are literally thick skinned ; 
but in recompense they have the most complicated and 
furrowed brain of all rodents. 
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