Agouti (Dasyprocta agouti), a small South American rodent allied to the guinea-pig. The colour of its coarse hair varies from brown to yellow; the form is compact; the legs are slender and pig-like, with three toes on the hind-feet; the ears small and rounded; the tail rudimentary. The agouti lives in the forests of Guiana, Brazil, and Peru, and makes its home at the foot of trees. It is active and agile in its habits, and wanders in search of food into the plains, where it often does much damage to sugar plantations and the like. It is said to be tamable, and seems to live somewhat isolated. Farther south, this form is represented by Azara's agouti (D. azarae), and in the north, by a smaller form, the acouchy (D. aeouchy).