274 



THE ROCK CAVY. 



XX. 



THE ROCK CAVY*. 



THIS animal, whiqh is a native of Brafii, 

 is neither a rabbit nor a rat, but leeiiivS to partake 

 of both. It is about a foot long, by feven 

 inches in circumference. Its general colour is 

 the fame with that of pur hares ; and its belly 

 is white : Its upper lip is divided in the fame 

 manner, and it has the fame large cutting teeth, 

 and whifkers round the mouth and on the 

 fides of the eyes. But its ears are rounded like 

 thofe of the rat, and fo lliort that they exceed 

 not the height of a finger's breadth. The fore legs 

 are not above three inches in length, and thofe i 

 behind are a little longer. The fore feet have 

 four toes covered with a black fkin, and arm- 

 ed with fmall ihort claws. The hind feet have 

 only three toes, and the middle one is the longed 



IE 



• Rock cavy, with divided upper lip ; fhort ears ; four 

 toes on the fore feet, and three on the liind : Colour of 

 the upper part of the body like that of the common hare ; 

 belly white : The length one foot ; Pennant's fynopf. of quad. 

 p. 244. 



Aperea Brafilicnfihu?, nobis vel dratte vel hcfchratte j^ 

 Mtvcgr. Brafil. p. 223. Pip, Brafil, p. 103. Raii Jyiiopf. quad. 

 i\ 206. 



i 



