392 



VERT KP. RATA. 



INDIAN CAlClilNlj A WILD G11NEA-P1G. 



reply, it may 1"- said that some doubt rests upon the facts as to the breeding of the Aperea, and 

 even if its habits vary from those of the Cobaya, it may be that a change of life has produced 

 this alteration. The change of color is analogous to the changes in various other domestic animals. 



B sfore we proceed to describe this animal, we may note the inaccuracy of its popular title, 

 Quinea-Pig ; it is not from Guinea, neither is it a pig. Perhaps Guinea was mistaken for G 

 //"/, from which country it is possible the creature was first introduced into Europe; the name of 

 pig may be forgiven, as the creature certainly somewhat resembles a very small denizen of the 



Among the domestic Guinea-pigs, some are almost entirely white, others spotted with black 

 and fawn-color, with yellow, tawny, &c. The body is short and thick; the neck is not distin- 

 guishable from the bead and trunk; the ears, which arc huge, naked, and transparent, are in a 

 great measure concealed by the hairs on the upper part of the head; the eyes are round, large, 

 and prominent; the head and nose resemble those of the hare and rabbit; the teeth are similar 

 to those of the rat, but they are placed obliquely outward in the upper, and obliquely inward in 

 the lower jaw; and the hair is long, hard and smooth. 



Among the most remarkable of the characters of this animal maybe recorded its precocity ami 

 fertility: for though it attains not its full growth till eight or nine months, it is capable of propa- 

 gating in five or Bis weeks after birth. The female goes only three weeks with young; her firsl 

 litter consists of two, which corresponds with the habit of the wild species; her second of four or 

 five, and her subsequent ones of seven or eight, or even sometimes often or eleven. It is curious 

 that the mother lias but two mamma*. She gives sink only for twelve or fifteen days, and cha» - 

 away her young if they remain longer by her, or, if they prove refractory, she permits the male 

 to abuse and kill them. Iler parental attachment, indeed, seems to be much weaker than D, 

 most other species; for she will often suffer her young to be taken from her, and even devoured 



