A history of the Brazil

by James Henderson

There are five different kinds. Some of a dark colour, with small brilliant jet black spots, denominated the Tiger; others spotted with black and white, or yellow, displaying much symmetry, and are properly called Ounces, or Panthers; a third, with very small speckles; a fourth with larger spots, called Canguçus; others, of a reddish colour, are the smallest, and are called Sucuarannas; the last only attack young cattle and small animals, but the former kill a horse or an ox in a moment. A bull grown to full maturity is the only quadruped which resists and is not alarmed at this forocious animal.

The hunting of the Ounce is less laborious but more dangerous than that of the Anta. The Brazilians generally hunt it in large parties, well armed with guns, lances, and pitchforks, always accompanied with dogs, and the greater the number less dangerous is the chase. Although this beast is much larger, possesses incomparably greater strength, and is infinitely swifter than the dog, for which it has a mortal hatred, on seeing one it always retires, as if having a presentiment of the approach of the hunters. It does not proceed far till it climbs a tree, or, if hard pressed, makes a terrible braying, and furiously attempts to catch some of the dogs, and if one comes within reach of its paws it has not much chance of escape. If the hunter does not take his aim well, so as to kill the Ounce upon the spot, it flies directly to the place where the smoke came from, and his fate is inevitable, unless his companions destroy it with their arms, or he is prepared with a lance to despatch it when it makes the last spring. It seizes upon its prey first with the paws and then with the teeth.

The Paca is a heavy creeping quadruped, little more than two spans in length, without a tail, having small ears, the snout of a rabbit, coarse strong hair, and is of a reddish colour, with small white spots along the sides, and streaked with the same colour along the back. It is the best game of the country, and is divested of its hair and prepared for the table similarly to a sucking pig.

The Porco-espim, or Porcupine, is of the size of a cat, with a long tail, and covered with long sharp-pointed quills, but its head has a greater resemblance to that of a dog. It is most numerous near the central rivers.

The Preguica, or Sloth, is a stout short quadruped; very lazy; covered with long thick hair; having stout legs armed with large paws; a small head, and round physiognomy, with some similarity to a monkey without ears or tail, and climbs trees. It subsists upon leaves. Its extreme slowness gives rise to its name. It is asserted in the Poem of Caramura that it possesses this tardy propensity to such a degree that in a few paces it consumes a whole day.[45]

The Preha is of the size and colour of a leveret, with the snout more rounded; the ears are very small and membranous, and it is without a tail. It can swim small brooks and rivers, and is esteemed good eating, particularly by the negroes.

The Quati is very similar to a fox, at the first sight, chiefly in the head, but its ears are shorter, rounder, and less hairy. Its hair is also long, thick, and soft, like the fox, of which it has the physiognomy. The legs are short and thick, the feet long, with five toes, furnished with claws, with which it climbs trees and digs up insects. The tail is long and round, gradually growing smaller to the extremity, and varied with a succession of rings; the mouth is long, becoming smaller towards the extremity, like that of a hog; the mouth is large, with teeth similar to those of a dog; the under jaw is almost an inch and a half shorter than the upper. This animal may be so domesticated that it will accompany its master into the campos like a little dog; but its natural restlessness requires it generally to be confined. There are two sorts of this quadruped, differing only in size. The small class always proceed in bands, and are called quati-monde.

The Ropoza, or Fox, is less than that of Europe, equally subtle, and even more destructive in the damage it does to the cane plantations and melons. Its skin is used only for housings.

Amongst the various races of Rats is the Rato de Espinho, (the Prickly Rat,) which is large, white bellied, its upper part ash-coloured, and its sides furnished with prickles. It is agreeable to the sight, without smell, and its flesh is esteemed good.

The Sarohe, or Gamba, a species of the Oppossum, is as large as a middle sized cat, with the form of a rat, of a disagreeable aspect and nauseous smell; the legs are short; the feet and ears like a rat; its hair is thin, long, and sleek; the tail long, becoming small towards the end, and without hair. It has the head and snout of a pig, a large mouth, with the teeth of a dog. This animal is one of the most remarkable objects in Natural History in consequence of a second belly, or womb, which it has below the upper or natural one, with an opening, or mouth, at the fore part, within which it carries its young till they arrive at an age to procure their own subsistence. Some say that this quadruped engenders and brings forth its young like other animals, and, after their birth puts them into this sack, where, in fact, they can only obtain suck, the mother only having teats in the upper belly. Others pretend that the young organize themselves by being attached to the dugs, from whence, at maturity, they fall into the sack. It is, however, certain that the young are found drawing nourishment from the paps of the mother, by which they are suspended and cling firmly to them, even when without hair and very small. They are great destroyers of poultry, and passionately fond of cachaca, or rum, with which they are easily caught, as they soon become intoxicated.