BOOK OF NATURAL HISTORY. 5 
THE GUINEA-PIG. 
I don’t know why this ani- 
mal should be called a pig, un- 
less it be because it is covered 
with bristly hair. Its snout is 
not at all like that of a pig ; it 
has feet like those of a rat, 
long whiskers, and short ears, 
but no tail. Besides this, it is 
not so big as a rabbit, and it 
does not grunt. Children are 
very fond of keeping Guinea- 
pigs in hutches, where they feed 
them on different kinds of veg- 
etables, and often take them 
out to let them run about a 
