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Show 310 MR. O. V. APLIN ON T H E [Mar. 20, living in Soriano, but especially so along the banks of the Sauce, which runs through the camp belonging to m y host at Santa Elena. The Carpinchos there were also very tame indeed,-from the fact that they were not molested. Accordingly I had exceptional advantages for observing this, the largest rodent in the world, in a state of nature. A favourite locality is a broad laguna in the river, furnished with open water, and also beds of " camelotes,"-a sloping open grassy bank on one side, where the Carpinchos can lie in the daytime in the cooler weather, sleeping and basking in tbe sunshine; on the other a low shelving bank, clothed with " sarandi" scrub growing out into the black reeking m u d and shallow water beyond. The stems of the sarandi in the festering mud have a gloomy appearance, sometimes brightened in spring by the large pink flower of a convolvulus climbing up the stems. In one or two places of this description I could almost always make sure of seeing some Carpinchos-sometimes a herd of a dozen or fifteen together, for they are sociable. Tou might meet with them at any part of the rivers where there was plenty of water, or in the monte on the banks, and I have " put one up " in thick dry paja fifty yards or more from a river. At night they are said to wander for some distance, to visit maize chacras and quintas. W h e n alarmed they snort violently, and rush impetuously into the river with a great splash and noise. It is said that a frightened Carpincho making for the river will not turn out of its way for anything, and that if you are between them and the river they will knock you over. I can well believe it, for they give one the idea of being the most stupid auimals in existence; and an examination of their skulls shows they are literally exceedingly thick-headed. The paces of the Carpincho are a walk and a hurried gallop reminding one of that of a pig, but most likely differing little in character from that of a guinea-pig, which the Carpincho resembles in shape and make. Probably their habit of rushing impetuously into the rivers is the reason why some horses are so frightened at these animals; the horses may have been scared when they went down to drink, or perhaps even charged by two or three lumbering brutes. Two horses which I rode were both frightened at Carpinchos, and one of them at the first sound of a snort became almost unmanageable and always tried to " clear out." Sometimes Carpinchos are much mo;e tame than at others. If they are on the opposite side of a small river they often take no notice at all; and I have watched them in the autumn sitting up on their haunches like dogs sunning themselves, or lying asleep on their bellies with their fore paws stretched out in front of them and their heads in some cases laid on their paws, a little on one side. I have also on more than one occasion walked up within half a dozen yards of them. Sometimes when you approach a little herd of them they sound their alarm and merely watch you, walking slowly down to the water as you get nearer. At other times they rush impetuously into the water at the first sign of |
