THE GUINEA-PIG. 115 



quarrel with each other until victory is decided by 

 death or defeat. 



Cleanliness is as essential as warmth to their preserva- 

 tion, for they appear to possess a natural antipathy to 

 dirt ; and if any of the young ones by accident get any 

 mud upon their coat, the mother immediately takes 

 such an aversion to them, that she will never suffer 

 them to approach her more. The constant employ- 

 ment of these little animals is to smooth and lick each 

 other's skin ; and, when they are kept tame, it is ab- 

 solutely necessary that they should regularly be pro- 

 vided with clean hay. 



What is very extraordinary in these little creatures *, 

 is, that the male and female never sleep at the same 

 time : whilst he reposes, she watches ; and, when tired, 

 rouses him, and takes possession of his bed, when he 

 in his turn becomes sentinel, and remains by her until 

 she awakes. 



Their usual food, when kept tame, is bran, parsley, 

 or cabbage leaves ; but there is scarcely a vegetable in 

 our gardens that they will not gladly devour, though 

 the carrot top and sallad is their favourite regale. 



CHAP. XII. 



ANIMALS OF THE RAT KIND. 



WERE it necessary to distinguish animals of the rat 

 species from all others, we might describe them as 



* The guinea-pig is a most prolific animal ; the first time she litters she 

 brings forth four or five ; the second, five or six ; the third, seven or eight ; 

 and did they not frequently destroy each other, they would overrun those 

 countries in which they abound. 



I 2 



