28 



ROCK CAVY. 



Cavia Aperea. C. ecaudata, corpurc ex cimreo rufo. Lin, Syst. 



Nat. Gmel. p. 122. 

 Tailless Cavy, with rufous-ash-coloured body. 

 Cuniculus (Brasiliensis) Aperea dictus, Marcgr, Raj, Quadr. 



p. 206. 



Cuniculus Indicus femina. Aldr. dig. p, 393. 

 Rock Cavy. Pennant Quadr. 2. p.^o. 



This animal (says the Count de BufFon);, which 

 is a native of Brasil, is neither a rabbet nor a rat, 

 but seems to partake of both. It is a foot long- 

 by seven in circumference. Its general colour is 

 the same with that of our hares, and its belly is 

 white : its upper lip is divided in the same manner^ 

 and it has the same large cutting teeth^ and 

 whiskers round the mouth and on the sides of 

 the eyes, but its ears are rounded like those of 

 a rat, and so short that they exceed not a finger's 

 breadth in height : the fore legs are not above 

 three inches in length, and the hind legs are a 

 little longer: the fore feet have four toes, covered 

 with a black skin, and armed with small short 

 claws : the hind feet have only three toes, and the 

 middle one is the longest : it has no tail ; the 

 head is somewhat longer than that of a hare, and 

 its flesh is like that of a rabbet, which it resem- 

 bles in its manner of living : it likewise retires 

 into holes : it does not, however^ dig the earth 



