ge Capivara and the little Guinea Pig, there are
several intermediate kinds. These are known as the True Cavies, and are
usually called Agoutis, or Acouchis. The agoutis are about the size of
the common hare, and run almost as swiftly. For their food they prefer
nuts to herbage, which is natural enough in a region where the latter is
scanty and the former exists in plenty; and in eating they "squat"
upright on their haunches, and convey the food to their mouth after the
manner of squirrels. The agouti, like the hare, frequently rolls over
when descending a hill at full speed--a habit, or rather an accident,
due to the same cause in both animals, namely, the great length of the
hind legs. When angry, the agouti stamps with the fore-feet, grunts
like a young pig, and erects the bristly hair upon its crupper after the
manner of porcupines.

There are many species of agouti throughout tropical America and the
West India Islands, and the range of the genus extends as far south as
the plains of Patagonia.

The _Pacas_ form another genus belonging to the family of the cavies
that may be also grouped with the hares and rabbits. They burrow like
the common rabbit, and their food consists of nuts, fruits, and roots.
Their flesh is excellent; and on this account they are hunted eagerly,
both by the Indians and whites who dwell in the countries where they are
found. There are several species of them in South America, and they
were also very common at one time in the West India Islands; but on
account of the persecution of many enemies--more especially of hunters--
they are now comparatively rare.

With the hares and rabbits may be classed still another family of South
American animals, and one of the most interesting of the whole group.
These are the Chinchillas and Viscachas. The place assigned to them by
some naturalists is with the hamsters, and therefore they are grouped
with the rats; but an examination into the habits of these animals shows
that they are in reality representatives of the hares and rabbits on the
elevated table-lands of Chili and Peru, as also over the whole plain
country of La Plata and Patagonia. There are several species known
indifferently as Viscachas and Chinchillas; but the true Chinchilla,
celebrated for its soft and beautiful woolly coat, is an inhabitant of
the elevated plateaux of the Andes, where the climate is as cold as in
Siberia itself. The natural history of these rodents is full o