The Guinea Pig Mammals 
Cavies form a prized article of food among the 
South American Indians. Our common pet is sup- 
posed to have been developed from the species called 
“Cutler’s cavy,’’ which Had been domesticated in 
ancient times by the Incas of Peru; mummies of 
cavies are found in their cemeteries. 
While many of the species, in a wild state, breed 
only twice per year, our domesticated varieties pro- 
duce their litters about every two months. An in- 
teresting thing about the little Guinea pigs is that 
they are most precocious babies; they are fully 
dressed in long hairy coats, and have their eyes open 
when they are born. They are quite capable of 
running along beside the mother when they are but 
a few hours old, and they reach their full growth in 
from three to five months. 
The best known varieties of this pet are as follows: 
The English, which has a short, smooth coat, like the 
original wild cavy, and with varying colors. The 
Abyssinian which has a rough coat, arranged in cow- 
licks of rosettes. The Angora which has a smooth 
coat of long, soft hair, and occurs in many colors and 
patterns. The Peruvian has the long hair of the 
Angora, and the rosettes of the Abyssinian, andisa 
most frowsy little creature. While all these varieties 
may have several colors, there are those of one color 
which are called self-colored; and there are albinos 
with white hair and pink eyes in all the breeds. The 
colors recognized are the agouti, consisting of black 
or brown hairs tipped with yellow, black, chocolate, 
or brown and yellow. 
HOUSE 
The Guinea pig should be kept in a hutch inside of 
‘a house or shed of some kind. It cannot stand 
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