LA PLATA. They commit, also, at these times, great ravages among cattle and horses. It is said that they kill their prey by breaking their necks. If driven from the carcass, they seldom return to it. The jaguar is a noisy animal, roaring much by night, and especially before bad weather. One day, when hunting on the banks of the Uruguay, I was shown certain trees to which these animals constantly resort, for the purpose, as it is said, of sharpening their claws. I saw three well-known trees; in front, the bark was worn smooth, as if by the breast of the animal, and on each side there were deep scratches, or rather grooves, nearly a yard in length. The scars were of different ages. A common mode of finding out whether a jaguar is in the neighborhood, is to examine one of these trees. I imagine this habit of the jaguar is exactly similar to one which may any day be seen in the common cat, as with outstretched legs and uncovered claws it scrapes the leg of a chair; and I have heard of young fruit-trees in an orchard in England having been thus much injured. Some such habit must also be common to the puma, for on the bare, hard soil of Patagonia, I have frequently seen scores so deep that no other animal could have made them. The object of this practice is, I be lieve, to tear off the ragged points of their claws, and not, as the Gauchos think, to sharpen them. The jaguar is killed, without much difficulty, by the aid of dogs baying and driv ing him up a tree, where he is despatched with bullets. The Gauchos differ in their opinion whether the jaguar is good eating, but are unanimous in saying that puma is excellent. Their favorite re THE bizcacha of the pampas (South American prairies) somewhat resembles the large rabbit, but with bigger gnawing teeth and a long tail. It is a curious circumstance in its geographical distribution that it has never been seen, fortunately for the inhabitants of Banda Oriental, to the eastward of the River Uruguay; yet in this province there are plains which appear admirably adapted to its habits. The Uruguay has formed an insuperable obstacle to its migration, although the broader barrier of the Parana has been passed, and the bizcacha is common in Entre Rios, the prov ince between these two great rivers. Near Buenos Ayres these animals are exceedingly common. sort appears to be those parts of the plain which, during one half of the year, are covered with giant thistles in place of all other plants. The Gauchos declare that it lives on roots-which, from the great strength of its gnawing-teeth, and the kind of places frequented by it, seems probable. In the evening the bizcachas come out in numbers, and quietly sit at the mouths of their burrows on their haunches. At such times they are very tame. They run very awkwardly, and, when running out of danger, from their uplifted tails and short front legs, much resemble great rats. Their flesh, when cooked, is very white and good, but it is seldom used. The bizcacha has one very singular habit, namely, dragging every hard object to the mouth of its burrow: around each group of holes many bones of cattle, stones, thistlestalks, hard lumps of earth, dry dung, etc., are collected into LA PLATA. an irregular heap, which frequently amounts to as much as a wheelbarrow would contain. I was told, and can believe it, that a gentleman, when riding on a dark night, dropped his watch; he returned in the morning, and by searching the neighborhood of every bizcacha hole on the line of road, he soon found it, as he expected. This habit of picking up whatever may be lying on the ground anywhere near its habitation, must cost much trouble. For what pur pose it is done I am quite unable to guess: it cannot be PATAGONIA. for defence, because the rubbish is chiefly placed above the mouth of the burrow, which enters the ground at a very small slope. No doubt there must be some good reason, but the inhabitants of the country are quite ignorant of it. The only fact which I know like it is the habit of an extraordinary Australian bird (the Calodera maculata), which makes an elegant vaulted passage of twigs for playing in, and which collects near the spot land and sea shells, bones, and the feathers of birds, especially brightly-colored ones. Mr. Gould tells me that the natives, when they lose any hard object, search these playing passages; and he has known a tobacco-pipe thus recovered. THE SEAL. I ACCOMPANIED the captain of the Beagle in a boat to the head of a deep creek in the Chonos Archipelago. On the way the number of seals that we saw was quite astonishing: every bit of flat rock, and parts of the beach, were covered with them. They appeared to be of a loving disposition, and lay huddled together, fast asleep, like so many pigs; but even pigs would have been ashamed of their dirt, and of the foul smell which came from them. Each herd was watched by the patient but ill-boding eyes of the tur key-buzzard. This disgusting bird, with its bald scarlet head, formed to wallow in putridity, is very common on the west coast of South America, and their attendance on the seals shows on what they rely for their food. We found the water (probably only that of the surface) nearly fresh: |