Agouti, a genus of gnawing mammals related closely to the guinea pig. The agouti is found in parts of South America and in some of the West Indian Islands. There are several species. The common agouti has the general appearance of a rabbit, but it is larger. It is sometimes called the South American hare. The toes are armed with strong claws for securing food; but, unlike the rabbit, the agouti does not burrow. The tail is a short naked stump on which the animal sits when eating. The agoutis are forest animals. They live in colonies and feed on vegetable food entirely. Roots and nuts are a favorite diet. Like the woodchuck, the striped "gopher," and the prairie dog, the agouti is a pest, especially in sugar growing localities. The little animals destroy the sugar plantations by gnawing the roots of the cane. The planters poison them in great numbers. The natives of Brazil and Guiana regard the flesh of the agouti as a delicacy. See GUINEA PIG.