MINUTE HARE. 215 



the eighth day begin to be furred, to see, and 

 to creep about. This species is not observed 

 to undergo any change of colour during the 

 winter. 



MINUTE HARE. 



Lcpus Minimus. L. cauda abbrrciata, auric i/fo pifosis coitcotori- 



bus, Lin. Syst. Nat. GmeLp. 163. 

 Short-tailed brown long-nosed Hare, with small, hairy, pointed 



cars. 

 Cuy Hare. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 106. 



THIS is by far the smallest of the whole genus, 

 scarce exceeding the meadow mouse (Mus ar- 

 ralis) in size. It is a native of Chili, where it is 

 said to be much esteemed as a delicate food, and 

 is often kept in a domestic state. The body is of 

 a conoid shape, the ears small, pointed, and co- 

 vered with hair : the nose long ; the tail so short 

 as to be scarce visible. This animal varies 

 in colour (at least when in a domestic state), 

 being either brown, white, or spotted. It pro- 

 duces about six or eight young at a time, and is 

 said to breed almost every month. No figure of 

 this animal appears to have yet been given, nor 

 is its description by Molina and others quite so 

 full and circumstantial as might be wished. It is 

 said to be called in Chili by the name of Cuy. 



