. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. the place of this species is tak( and gai-dens its inroads may give rise to considerable injury. The animal is, however, rather solitary in its liabits, living by itself in its cell, in its departure from and return to which it api)ears generally to follow exactly the same I'oads, by which means a narrow Init very distinct footpath is in course of time produced. This naturally often leads to the discovery and capture of the little recluse. Tlie Agouti appears to breed all the year round, usually producing two young ones at a birth. The fem
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. the place of this species is tak( and gai-dens its inroads may give rise to considerable injury. The animal is, however, rather solitary in its liabits, living by itself in its cell, in its departure from and return to which it api)ears generally to follow exactly the same I'oads, by which means a narrow Init very distinct footpath is in course of time produced. This naturally often leads to the discovery and capture of the little recluse. Tlie Agouti appears to breed all the year round, usually producing two young ones at a birth. The female prepares her dwelling for the reception of her family by lining it comfortably with leaves, fine roots, and hair. In the southern parts of Brazil, in Paraguay and Bolivii AzAK.\'s Agovti {Dasyprocta Azarce). A smaller species, the AcoucHY {D. acouchy), is found not only in Guiana and the north of Brazil, but also in several of the West India Islands. The last-named species has a well-developed tail about two inches long. Besides the Agoutis, this family includes an allied animal, the Paca {Conlogenys paca), wliich differs generically from the Agoutis by having live toes on the hind feet. It has a broader head and a blunter muzzle, and is altogether iv rather stouter animal than the Agoutis; but, like most of them, it has a mere tubercle instead of a tail. One of the _ most remarkable chai-acters presented by this animal, how- ovei-, is the enormous development of the zygomatic arches, which are enlarged and inflatpd in the most extraordinary manner, the maxillary portion, which occupies the anterior two-thirds being hollowed out beneath into a great chamber, lined with mucous membrane, and opening into the mouth by a rather small aperture. The function of these remarkable cavities is at present quite un- known. Food is not to be found in them, and, indeed, as they are enclosed by solid bone, it would seem impossible that they could act as cheek-pouches. The Paca, which inha
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