Mules are numerous and cheap; they cost from two to four dollars each. There is a traffic in them, but not very great, to the Isle of France and West Indies. The expense of provender and fitting for such a freight, and the numbers that die during a voyage, lessen the profits considerably; and vessels will not venture upon each troublesome shipmates when any thing else offers.
A great many tigers are found up the country, and about the islands of the river Parana; but they have nothing of the ferocity or terrific grandeur of the East-Indian tygers: they are, in fact, more like leopards; and those that I have seen are not larger than a common sheep dog. They will, however, often attack individuals; and several have been devoured by them.
The tiger-cats are plentiful.
Buenos Ayres swarms with dogs, and none of them very valuable. An English bull-dog would beat fifty such. They had an abominable practice of sending criminals, under a guard, into the streets, armed with heavy clubs, for the purpose of killing the dogs they met with, leaving the carcases in the street to rot. Many a pet has been slaughtered this way. Some more humane method might be devised, to lessen the number of dogs, than this cruel and disgusting mode: it has been lately discontinued. Hydrophobia, I conceive, they only know by name, as I have never heard of any accident from it.
Of the small field animals the nutria, for the sake of its skin, it the most valuable, and forms a valuable article of export. They are, in shape, much like rats; but are larger, and have long front teeth projecting: they are quite harmless.
The armadillo is the South-American hedge-hog, without the prickly substances they have in Europe: the natives eat them.
Here are, also, the boscatcha, or South-American badger; and a pretty little animal, like a weasel, which is often tamed, and runs about the house.
Rats and ants are a great annoyance in this country: they swarm in the houses, and are very active in their vocations. The former are not so ferocious as the English ones, who often, when retreat is cut off, fight most ratfully. The Buenos Ayres rats are better educated.
The fire-fly, on summer nights, is seen gliding through the air.