ZOOLOGY. 31 



The flesh of some of the species is accounted delicate 

 food ; their spines are used for pointing arrows, fish-gigs, 

 and other purposes. 



2. Cavia. Cavy. Front teeth two, wedge-shaped ; grinders 

 eight ; toes on the fore-feet four or five ; on tlie hind- 

 feet fioin three to five; tail either short or wanting; 

 clavicles or collar bones wanting. 



This is a prolific genus, some of the sppoios producing 

 from four to eight at a birth, ard breeding many times in the 

 year ; some kinds nestle in hollow trees, others burrow in 

 the ground ; they are exceedingly timlJ, and retire to 

 their nests on the smallest alarm ; they feed on vegetables ; 

 the flesh of some kinds is eaten by the inhabitants of 

 various countries. 



3. Castor. Beaver. Upper /ron^ tecih truncate, hollowed 

 in a transverse angle, the lower t;iinsverse at the tips; 

 ^r2«t/6'rs four in each jaw ; ^rt/Hoiig, depressed, scaly; 

 clavicles perfect. 



The industry and ingenuity of the Beaver (when in a state 

 of society) is perhaps greater than that of aiiy other qua- 

 druped ; they associate in numbers of from thirty to sixty 

 pairs, and form extensive ranges of buildings, of such strength 

 and solidity, as to appear rather the work of some ingenious 

 arckitect tiuin the labour of brutes. They feed on the 

 leaves and bark of trees, of the latter they accumulalo a 

 large store for their winter provision ; in default of which 

 they devour crabs and l\^h ; they swim and dive admirably, 

 and are capable of remaining under water for a considerable 



