Spanish America, Vol. 2 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
The vizcacha is an animal resembling the rabbit and the fox. It is
larger than the latter, and its fur being very fine and soft, is used
for the manufacture of hats. The cuy, is another species of rabbit,
but much smaller, not exceeding the size of the field mouse, and it is
occasionally domesticated.
The armadillo, of which there are three kinds, in Chili, the four
banded, the eight banded, and the eleven banded; the eight banded being
common in the valleys of the Andes, and are of various sizes, from
six to thirteen inches in length, covered with a thick bony defensive
armour which is so minutely jointed that they can roll themselves up as
the English hedge-hog does. The armadilloes are elegant and inoffensive
little animals.
The degu, is a kind of dormouse; and the maulin wood-mouse is exactly
like a mouse, but so large that it resists the attacks of the dogs;
and there are several other kinds of mice peculiar to the country, all
of which differ in their habits, and in other points from the European
animals of the same name.
The pagi, or Chilian puma, is nearly the same as the puma, or cougouar
of La Plata, and the mitzli of Mexico; it is named the American lion
by the Spaniards, but it resembles that creature only in its shape and
roar, having no mane.
The hair on the upper part of the body is ash-coloured with yellow
spots, and very long, and the belly is dusky white. Its length, from
the nose to the root of the tail, is about five feet; and its height,
from the sole of the foot to the shoulder, near two feet three inches.
The ears are short and pointed, the eyes large, the mouth wide and
deep, and well furnished with sharp teeth; the paws have each five
toes, armed with very strong claws, and the tail is upwards of two feet
long.
The female is less than the male, of a paler colour, carries her young
three months, and brings forth two cubs at a time. It inhabits the
thickest forests and the most inaccessible mountains, from whence it
issues to attack the domestic animals roaming in the plains, preferring
the flesh of the horse to any other. Its mode of seizing its prey
is similar to that of the tiger; and it is not uncommon for this
formidable creature to carry off two horses at a time, as they are
often linked together in the pasture. It kills one, and dragging it
along obliges the other to follow by lashing it with its tail.
The pagi is said never to attack man unless provoked, but it has been
proved, by several intelligent travellers, that the lions and tigers of
America are sometimes as ferocious and destructive as those of Africa.
The guigna, and the colocola, are two species of wild cats which
inhabit the woods.
The culpeu is a large fox resembling the European wolf. It is said
always to approach man, and stopping at a short distance, looks at
him very attentively for some time, and then retires. Owing to this
singular propensity the animal is frequently shot; and the race is much
thinned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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