The animals which inhabit the vast forests of the Organ mountains are, perhaps, no less various than the forms of the vegetable creation. Formerly the Ounce, or Jaguar (_Felis Onca_), used to be common, but now it is only occasionally that its roar is heard at night, or that cattle or sheep suffer from its depredations. The black variety, to which the Brazilians give the name of Tiger, is still more rare. The woods, however, abound with a very pretty species of wild cat (_Felis pardalis_). Monkeys are very numerous. In the morning the forests resound with the unearthly howling of the Barbado (_Mycetes barbatus_), which is as large as an ordinary dog; they live in bands of many together. There are several others quite as large, but they are seldom to be seen. The grey Marmoset, which is so common in the forests of the northern provinces, is not to be met with here, but another, and perhaps a still more beautiful species is occasionally found. It is the _Jaccus auritus_. It is easily distinguished from all the other species by its nearly uniform dark colour, and the pencils of long white hairs which come out from its ears. The Sloth (_Acheus Ai_) is also occasionally found feeding on the leaves of the _Cecropia peltata_, which form his favourite food. One which I had for some time in captivity, was of a timid and fretful disposition. Like most other animals in which the brain is small in proportion to the development of the nervous system, it is very tenacious of life. Although more tardy in its movements than most quadrupeds of its size, it passes with considerable rapidity from branch to branch, from which in its progress it always hangs by the legs and feet. It owes much to Waterton, for being the first to remove the stigma which Buffon and others put upon its character. In the river which flows through the valley, the Brazilian Otter (_Lutra Brasiliensis_), and the Capybara (_Hydrochærus capybara_), are still occasionally to be met with. A pretty little deer (_Cervus nemorivagus_) frequently attracts the sportsman to the woods, as do also the two species of Pecari (_Dicotyles labiatus_ and _torquatus_), which are so common all over the intertropical parts of South America. A kind of Opossum (_Didelphis Azaræ_) is as much the pest of the fowl-house as the fox is in Europe. It is very tenacious of life, getting up and running away when every bone in its body appears to be broken by the blows which have been inflicted on it. In the woods an Armadillo (_Tatusia peba_) is not uncommon, the stewed flesh of which makes excellent food; and in the forests a prehensile-tailed kind of Porcupine (_Sphigurus spinosus_) is also often met with; they both burrow in the ground. The great Ant-bear (_Myrmecophaga tamandua_) is rarely, though occasionally, to be met with. Along with the monkeys, a little brown squirrel is often to be seen sporting among the branches of the trees.