The Agouti (_fig. 98._) is about the size of a hare, and has been
considered by many writers as a kind of rabbit, or large rat; yet it
bears a resemblance only in some trifling particulars to either, and in
its natural habits it essentially differs from them both. It has the
rough hair, grunting, and voracious appetite of the hog; and when fully
satiated it hides the remainder of its food, like the fox, in different
places. It delights in gnawing and spoiling every thing it comes near.
When irritated it bites fiercely; its hair stands erect along the
back, and it strikes the ground violently with its hind feet. It does
not dig holes, like the rabbit, but lives in the hollows of trees. It
feeds chiefly on roots, potatoes, yams, and fruits, when residing near
habitations; those that reside in the woods also eat leaves, plants,
and shrubs. It uses its fore paws, like the squirrel, in carrying food
to its mouth; it runs very swiftly up hill, or on even ground, but its
fore paws being much shorter than its hind ones, upon a descent it is
in great danger of falling; it has a good sight and excellent hearing,
and whenever it hears a whistle it stops to listen. They scald the
agouti and dress it like a sucking pig, and the flesh of such as are
fat and well fed is tolerable food, though it has always a peculiar
taste, and is rather tough. When they go among the sugar-canes they are
easily taken, for sinking every step in the straw and leaves, which
covers the ground, a man may come up and even kill them with a stick.
When in the open country it runs with great swiftness before the dogs;
and having gained its retreat, nothing can force it to come out but
smoke; for which purpose the hunters burn faggots and straw before the
mouth of the hole, upon which the animal makes plaintive cries like
that of a pig, but seldom quits the place of concealment until the
last extremity. Its cry, which it repeats often when it is irritated
or incommoded, is exactly like that of a young pig. When taken young
they are easily tamed, and will go out and return alone. When in a wild
state, they generally dwell in the woods, where the female chooses the
most obscure parts, and there prepares a bed of leaves and grass for
her young. They usually bring forth two or three in a year, and in a
day or two afterwards, she carries them in her mouth like a cat, into
the hollow of some tree, where she suckles them for a short space, for
they are soon in a condition to run about and provide for themselves;
from which it appears that the time required for their growth is but
short, and of course the duration of their lives cannot be long.
The agouti appears to be a native of the south parts of America, not
being known in the old continent. They are common in Brasil, Guiana,
St. Domingo, and all the islands around. To subsist and multiply, they
require a warm climate, yet they will live in France if well sheltered
from wet and cold, especially in winter; it is even a stranger in the
cold and temperate climates in America. In the islands there is only
this one species of agouti, which we have described, but in the other
places above named, it is affirmed there is another species called
the _agouchi_, which is much smaller than the first; but we have the
testimony of several persons who resided a long time at Cayenne, who
were equally acquainted with the agouti and agouchi, that the one
we have described is certainly the agouti. The latter we have never
been able to procure, but the former we had alive; it was as large as
a rabbit, its hair was coarse, and of a brown colour, with a small
mixture of red; its upper lip was cloven like that of the hair, its
tail was shorter than that of a rabbit, its ears very short and broad,
and its upper jaw was more prominent than the under; its snout was like
that of the loir, and its teeth resembled the marmot's; its neck was
long, its legs were slender, and on its fore feet it had four toes, and
three on its hind ones. Marcgrave, and almost all naturalists after
him, have said that the agouti has six toes on the hind-feet. M.
Brisson is the only writer who has not copied this error of Marcgrave;
but he described it from nature, and, like us, perceived only three
toes on the hind-feet.