156 Mr. 0. Thomas on 



Pflssino^ now to the cavies of the Andean countries, Peru 

 and Bolivia, we have first to identify Cavia cutleri, Bennett, 

 tiie earliest name connected with that region. 



The type-specimen, witii imperfect skull, is in the British 

 Museum — .10. 53. 8. 29. 2, — and I have carefully examined 

 it and compared it with the other material in the collection. 

 It is a melano, and on this account its colour has never been 

 able to be used for purposes of identific;itinn, while, although 

 called a " Peruvian envy," its original locality has always 

 been doubtful. 



The conclusion I come to is that it is a domesticated guinea- 

 pig— Cavia porcelhis, L., — its skull being too large for any 

 Peruvian wild species^ while it is closely matched by examples 

 of C. jiorcellus, among which, of course, black specimens are 

 by no means infrequent. 



With this troublesome name removed, the ordinary 

 Peruvian cavy should bear the name of 



Cavia tschudii, Fitz. 



Cavia cutleri, Tscliudi, Fauna Peruana, p. 195 (1845). 

 Cavia tschudii, Fitzinger, SB. Ak. Wieii, hi. pt. i. p. 154 (98 in sepa- 

 rates) (1867). 



with type-locality I^a, on the coast, where Tschudi saw the 

 specimens he described. 



The s[jecies is comparatively small, the skull about 58 to 

 62 mm. in length, and with small bidlse. In colour it is 

 coarsely grizzled cinnamon, huffy or greyish, and the under- 

 side varies from strongly bufFy to nearly white. 



These variations appear to indicate four subspecies, as 

 follows : — 



Cavia tschudii atahualpce, Osgood. 

 Cavia ata1iuulp<e, Osgood, Field Mus. Publ. x. p. 98 (1913). 



Size fairly large, the bull* larger than in the more southern 

 forms. Colour dark, " evenly grizzled cinnamon and 

 blackish, the bases of tlie hairs dark drab followed by two or 

 more annulations of cinnamon and blackish"; back, and 

 especially ruuip, with numerous longer black hairs ; under 

 surface more or less cinnamon or butfy. Length of type- 

 skull 60 mm. 



Hub. N. Peru : Cajamarca. 



No Peruvian cavies that I have seen have more thati one 

 light annulation on the hairs ; but, even if there is no mistake 

 in the observation, 1 should not consider il sufficient reason 



