CAPYBARA.—Hydrocherus Capybara 
stream. The food of this animal is exclusively vegetable, and its curious teeth are needed 
in order to bruise the herbage on which it feeds into a mass sufficiently pulpy to enable it 
to pass through the very narrow throat. 
The Capybara is a gregarious creature, being generally found in small herds upon the 
banks of the streams which they frequent. These animals are subject to considerable 
persecution at the hand of man and beast, as the flesh is remarkably good, and when 
properly treated can be preserved like ham or bacon. The jaguar preys largely on the 
Capybara, which is so large and fat that it affords a plentiful and succulent meal; and is 
so easily overcome that the jaguar finds no difficulty in supplying himself with a dinner. 
There is a kind of musky flavour about the flesh of the Capybara which is very attractive 
to some persons, but is equally repulsive to others. When startled, it utters a peculiar 
sound, something between a bark and grunt, in which an indefinite noise is produced, 
and a large amount of breath expended. 
THE Cavies are well represented by the common GuINEA Pic. 
Few animals have received less appropriate names than the Guinea Pig; for it is not 
a pig, but a rodent, and does not come from Guinea, but from Southern America. It is 
very easily tamed ; for its disposition is so unimpressible and dull that it accommodates 
itself to change of locality without betraying any emotion, and seems hardly to be 
susceptible even of fear. Being a very pretty little creature, it is in some favour as a 
domestic pet ; and as it is remarkably prolific, it very rapidly increases in numbers, if it is 
well defended from cold and preserved from damp, as without warmth and a dry habitation 
it soon dies. The food of the Guinea Pig is exclusively of a vegetable nature, and while 
feeding it generally sits on its hinder feet, and carries the food to its mouth with its 
fore-paws. 
An idea of the extreme fecundity of this animal may be formed from the fact that it 
begins to breed at ten months of age, that each brood consists on an average of six or 
eight, and that in less than three weeks after the birth of the young family they are driven 
to shift for themselves, and the mother is then ready for another brood. The young 
Guinea Pigs are born with their eyes open, and covered with hair, and do not attain 
their full dimensions until they have reached the age of eight or nine months. 
