es one might fancy them
the whistling of the curlew, at others, the hoarse bark of an old dog.
If any one beat it, it opposed no resistance; it concealed its head and
its paws, like the hedgehog, by rolling itself into a ball. In this
position it would suffer death. When its chain broke, it would allow no
one to approach it, and it was with great difficulty refettered.

THE COATI.

This animal, which frequents the woods of South America, resembles the
raccoon, but is smaller. He is in the habit of rooting under trees, and
thus overturns many of them, even those of large size. The most curious
incident in his history, is that he eats his own tail! This is
explained by Godman as follows: "The extreme length of its tail, in
which the blood circulates but feebly, exposes it to the influence of
cold or frost; and the exceedingly tormenting irritation produced
thereby leads the animal to gnaw and scratch the tail, to relieve the
excessive itching. The disease spreads, and the anguish induces the
coati to gnaw more furiously, and eventually its life is destroyed by
the extension of the inflammation and irritability to the spine."

THE BADGER.

Of this animal there are two species, one European, the other American;
but they have a strong resemblance. It has short legs, and a long body;
lives in burrows by day, and goes forth at night to prey on roots,
snails, and worms. The American species seems to be more carnivorous
than his foreign relation: in this respect he has high example, for the
people of America eat more butcher's meat than those of Europe--for the
reason, however, that they are so fortunate as to be able to get it.

In Europe, the badger is hunted as a matter of sport, the chief
amusement being derived from the fierce resistance he makes to the
dogs. In South America, the creature is eaten, and badger hams are
deemed a delicacy. Catching this animal is a great source of interest
to the Indians. We are told that a "party of eight, in one of their
expeditions, will destroy two or three hundred badgers, and a quantity
of deer on their return home, besides guanas. These hunting parties are
so delightful, even to the women, that the hopes of being allowed to
accompany the men will make them behave well all the year. On these
excursions they live well, and seem more happy than during the rainy
season; in their way home, they travel day and night rapidly, in spite
of obstructions, carrying long poles between them