MAMMALIA. GLIRES. Cavy. 219 



449 4. Aperea. — 4. Cavia Aperea. 4. 



Has no tail; the upper parts of the body are of a reddifh afh colour, and the under 



parts white. Erxleb. mam. 348. 



Cuniculus brafilienfis, or Brafilian Coney, having external ears and no tail, of a reddifh afh co- 

 lour. BrifT. quad. 149. n. 8. — Aperea, of the Brafilians, called Veld Ratte, d'Ratte, or Bofch 

 Ratte, by the Dutch. Marcgr. Braf. 223. Pifo, Braf. 103. Raj. quad. 206. Jonft. quad. t. 63.— Ape- 

 rea. Sm. Buff. viii. 274. — Cuniculus indicus femina, or Female Indian Coney. Aldrov. dig. 393. 



Inhabits Brafil. - Lives in holes of the rocks, from which it is driven out, and taken, by means of 

 little dogs : The ears are fhort; the fore paws have four, and the hind feet only three, toes; the co- 

 lour of the back refembles that of our common Hares, and the animal runs in the fame manner ; the 

 upper lip is divided : The flefh is very good eating, and refembles that of the Rabbit, but is fuperior 

 in flavour. The head and body are about a foot long ; the fore feet are black, and naked, and the 

 toes have fhort fmall claws ; of the three toes on the hind feet, the middle one is longer than the 

 reft. 



450 /3. Black Aperea. — Cav. Aperea nigra. 



Of a black colour mottled with tawny. 

 Rock Cavy. Penn. hilt, of quad. n. 233. 



This animal, as defcribed by Mr Pennant, is exactly fimilar, in every refpect, except in colour, t9 

 the former ; being black, mottled with tawny, on the back ; the belly and throat white. 



The Count de Buffon quotes Oviedo, Charlevoix, and Perrier de Montfrazier, for an animal, which 

 he thinks is the fame with the Aperea, called Cori by thefe writers : It refembles the Rabbit and the 

 Mole, has fmall ears, carried in a flatly reclined pofition, and no tail. Of this animal there are many 

 varieties, with refpect to colour : Some are entirely white ; others entirely black ; fome totally red ; 

 fome fpotted with black and white ; and others fpotted with red and white. They eat herbage, and 

 their flefh refembles that of our beft Rabbits in tafte and flavour ; they are eafily tamed, and never 

 defile their place of abode. Thefe animals, whether mere varieties of the fpecies in queftion, or di- 

 ftinct fpecies of the Cavy genus, are found in various parts of the Weft Indian iflands, and on the 

 continent of America. Hift. de St Domingue, par le P. Charlev. i. 35. Hift. des voy. par Duperfier 

 de Montfraizier, 343. Garcilaflb, Hift. des Incas. ii. 252. 



45 I 5. Cobaya. — 5. Cavia Cohaya. 5. 



Has no tail ; the whole body is white, ufually variegated with irregular orange and 

 black blotches. Schreber, iv. 617. t. clxxiii. 



Mus Porcellus, Pig-like Moufe, or Guinea Pig, having four toes on the fore and three on the 

 hind feet; with no tail. Syft. nat. ed. xii. 79. n. 1. Muf. ad. Fr. 9. Amoen. acad. iv. 190. t. 2. 

 It. Weftgoth. 224. — Cuniculus indicus ecaudatus, or Taillefs Indian Coney, having external ears, 

 of a white or red colour, or variegated with both. BrifT. quad. 147. n. 7. Gronov. zooph. i. 4. 

 11. 16. Nieremb. hift. nat. 160. Aldrov. dig. 390. f. p. 391. Jonft. quad. 162. t. 63. 65. — Cuni- 

 -eulus indicus, f. C. guineenfis, American, or Guinea Coney, having the hair and voice of a ;•• g, 



E e 2 called 



