AnotherandsmallerspeciesofFurnariusF。cunicularius，resemblestheoven-birdinthegeneralreddishtintofitsplumage，inapeculiarshrillreiteratedcry，andinanoddmannerofrunningbystarts。Fromitsaffinity，theSpaniardscallitCasaritaorlittlehousebuilder，althoughitsnidificationisquitedifferent。TheCasaritabuildsitsnestatthebottomofanarrowcylindricalhole，whichissaidtoextendhorizontallytonearlysixfeetunderground。Severalofthecountrypeopletoldme，thatwhenboys，theyhadattemptedtodigoutthenest，buthadscarcelyeversucceededingettingtotheendofthepassage。Thebirdchoosesanylowbankoffirmsandysoilbythesideofaroadorstream。HereatBahiaBlancathewallsroundthehousesarebuiltofhardenedmud，andInoticedthatone，whichenclosedacourtyardwhereIlodged，wasboredthroughbyroundholesinascoreofplaces。Onaskingtheownerthecauseofthishebitterlycomplainedofthelittlecasarita，severalofwhichIafterwardsobservedatwork。Itisrathercurioustofindhowincapablethesebirdsmustbeofacquiringanynotionofthickness，foralthoughtheywereconstantlyflittingoverthelowwall，theycontinuedvainlytoborethroughit，thinkingitanexcellentbankfortheirnests。Idonotdoubtthateachbird，asoftenasitcametodaylightontheoppositeside，wasgreatlysurprisedatthemarvellousfact。
Ihavealreadymentionednearlyallthemammaliacommoninthiscountry。
Ofarmadilloesthreespeciesoccurnamely，theDasypusminutusor_pichy_，theD。villosusor_peludo_，andthe_apar_。Thefirstextendstendegreesfurthersouththananyotherkind；afourthspecies，the_Mulita_，doesnotcomeasfarsouthasBahiaBlanca。Thefourspecieshavenearlysimilarhabits；the_peludo_，however，isnocturnal，whiletheotherswanderbydayovertheopenplains，feedingonbeetles，larvae，roots，andevensmallsnakes。The_apar_，commonlycalled_mataco_，isremarkablebyhavingonlythreemoveablebands；therestofitstesselatedcoveringbeingnearlyinflexible。Ithasthepowerofrollingitselfintoaperfectsphere，likeonekindofEnglishwoodlouse。Inthisstateitissafefromtheattackofdogs；forthedognotbeingabletotakethewholeinitsmouth，triestobiteoneside，andtheballslipsaway。Thesmoothhardcoveringofthe_mataco_offersabetterdefencethanthesharpspinesofthehedgehog。
The_pichy_prefersaverydrysoil；andthesand-dunesnearthecoast，whereformanymonthsitcannevertastewater，isitsfavouriteresort：
itoftentriestoescapenotice，bysquattingclosetotheground。Inthecourseofaday’sride，nearBahiaBlanca，severalweregenerallymetwith。