CAVIA, the cavy, in natural history, a genus of Mammalia, of the order Glires. Generic character : two wedge-shaped front teeth ; eight grinders ; from four to five toes on the fore-feet, from three to five on the hind-feet ; tail very short, or none ; no clavicles. There are seven spe cies, of which those that follow are most deserving attention.
C. cobaya, or the guinea pig. This animal is a native of South America, and found particularly in Brazil. lt.is tamed with great facility, and is inoffensive, ti morous, and particularly cleanly ; it does not, however, appear susceptible of strong attachments to its benefactors, nor is it remarkable for docility. It is one of the most prolific of animals, and Buffon cal culates that, in twelve months only, one thousand might be produced from a sin gle pair, as the female has been known to bring forth young when two months old only ; and the time of gestation is only three weeks ; and she will produce at least every two months. They are six or seven months before they arrive at their maturity of growth, but within the short period of twelve hours from their birth are nearly as alert and active as those fully grown, and therefore require parental assiduity only for a little time. Vegetables form their food, and on a great variety of these they will flourish and fatten : very succulent food of this description, however, is injurious, and with sow-thistles and cabbage, should be employed for them nourishment of more consistency, such as grain and bread. They drink but little, appear, after eating to ruminate, and are extremely apt to be affected by cold. They are in some places used as articles of food, and even considered as delicacies. They are un commonly cleanly in their habitations, and are often to be seen smoothing and cleansing their fur with particular atten tion and perseverance. In contests they not only bite, but kick. It is a curious circumstance, if it may be depended upon as true, and it is stated by authentic re porters, that the male and female seldom sleep at the same time, but exercise over each other alternate vigilance. See Mam malia, Plate VII. fig. 2.
C. paca, or the spotted cavy, of Pen nant, is clumsily formed ; a native, like the former, of South America ; is highly esteemed by the inhabitants of this quar ter of the world for its food ; is particu larly fond of fruits and of sugar ; and continuing in its hole during the day, de votes the night to activity and refresh ment. See Mammalia, Plate VII. fig. 3.
C. capybara, or the river cavy, inhabits particularly the eastern parts of South America ; and when full grown weighs about a hundred pounds ; it lives not only upon vegetables, but also upon fish, which, as it swims and dives extremely well, it procures with facility, but which it brings to land before it devours ; it is of a mild disposition, and easily familiar ized by man ; its pursuit of prey is ge nerally engaged in by night ; it frequents, principally, marshes and the banks of ri vers. These animals are reported to as sociate only in pairs. The female pro duces only one young at a time. Their flesh is praised by some as exquisite, but others represent it as rank and fishy.
C. aguti, the long-nosed cavy. These animals move like hares, and grunt like pigs ; their food consists of various fruits, and of nuts, which they will hide, and abstain from touching for many months ; they breed with the rapidity of rabbits, no season checking their prolific tenden cies ; their flesh is very agreeable to the taste, and, even when they are old, ad quires little or no toughness. They are caught by the Indians in Guinea, and other warm parts of South America, where alone they are to be met with in great numbers, sometimes being hunted down by their dogs, and frequently being taken in traps, to which they are allured by the accurate imitation of their pecu liar sounds. They are nearly of the size of a hare ; when pursued, they re treat to burrows or holes of trees, which, indeed, constitute their irregular and frequently changed abodes, and in which they. are almost uniformly found alone ; or the female with its young ones. They hold their food in the same manner as the squirrel ; they make their excur sions for food during the day, and may be easily domesticated, though not so completely as to exclude altogether their natural wildness. See Mammalia, Plate VII. fig. 4.