The Gauchos Affirm 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, and a man on horseback passing
by seems only to present an object for their grave
contemplation.
They run very awkwardly, and when running
out of danger, from their elevated 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, thistle-
stalks, hard lumps of earth, dry dung, etc., are collected into
an irregular heap, which frequently amounts to as much as
a wheelbarrow would contain. I was credibly informed that
a gentleman, when riding on a dark night, dropped his
watch; he returned in the morning, and by searching the
neighbourhood of every bizcacha hole on the line of road,
as he expected, he soon found it. This habit of picking
up whatever may be lying on the ground anywhere near its
habitation, must cost much trouble. For what purpose it
is done, I am quite unable to form even the most remote
conjecture: it cannot be for defence, because the rubbish
is chiefly placed above the mouth of the burrow, which
enters the ground at a very small inclination.
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