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Show 156 MAMMALIA. distinguished from that of Europe by the closest attention. Such are the L. tolai, Gm., Schreb. CCXXXIV. (The Siberian Rabbit.) Which is intermediate between the Hare and Rabbit as to proportions, and which occasionally surpa~ses the former in size. It makes no burrows, but seeks shelter m the clefts of rocks or other cavities. L . .B.mericanus and Braziliensis, Gm.; Lepus nanus, Schreb. CCXXXIV. (The American Rabbit.) Nearly similar in size and colour to the European species; feet reddish; no black on either ears or tail. Nestles in the hollows of trees, up which it sometimes ascends as far as the branches. Flesh soft and insipid.( I) L. capensis, Gm.; Geoff., Quadr. d'Egypte. (The African Hare.) The ears a fifth longer than the head ; size and colour nearly those of the European species; the feet however are a little longer and somewhat reddish. It appears to be found from one extremity of Africa to the other, at least the one from Egypt docs not differ from that of the Cape. LAGOMYs, Cuv.(2) Moderate ears ; legs nearly alike ; the hole below the eye sim· ple; clavicles nearly perfect, and no tail: they often utter a sharp cry. They have hitherto been found in Siberia only, and it is to Pallas (Glir. p. 1 ct seq.) that we are indebted for their discovery. Lepus pusillus, Pall. Glir. I, Schreb. ccxxxvii. (The Dwarf Lagomys.) Of a greyish brown ; the size of a Water-Rat. Lives in small burrows, in fertile countries, on fruit and birds.(3) Lepus ogotonna, Pall, Glir. III, Schrcb. ccxxxix. (The Grey Lagomys.) A very light grey, 'vith yellowish feet; a little larger than the preceding; nestles among heaps of stones, in the fis· sures of rocks, &c., where it collects hay for the winter. Lepus alpinus, Pall. Glir. II, Schreb. ccxxxviii. (The Lago· mys Pica.) Size of a Guinea-Pig, and of a yellowish red. In· habits the summits of mountains, where it passes the summer in selecting and drying the plants of which it makes its pro· vision for the winter. Its hay-stacks, which are sometimes six or seven feet high, are a valuable resource for the horses of the sable hunters. (1) Add the Black-Necked Rabbit of India, &c. (2) Lagomys, i.e. Rat-Hares. . <3) Pall~s describes another still smaller species from the north-eastern extre· mity of Asia, Lepusltyperbore.us, Zoog. Uuss. I, 152. noDENTIA. 157 The fossil bones of an unknown species of Lagomys have been discovered in the osseous breccia of Corsica. Cuv. Oss. Foss. IV,p. 199. After the two genera of Porcupines and Hares, come the Rodentia, united by Linnreus and Pallas, under the name of CAviA; but to which it is impossible to affix any other common and positive character than that of their imperfect clavicles, although the species of which they are composed are very analogous to each other, both in body and habits. They are all from the western continent. HYDROCII<ERus, Erxleb. Four toes before and three behind, all armed with large nails, and united by membranes ; four grinders throughout, of which the posterior are the longest, and composed of numerous, simple and parallellaminre; the anterior laminre, forked towards the external edge in the upper, and towards the internal one in the lower teeth. Only one species is known, the H. capybara; Cavia capybara, L.; Capybara, Marc g.; Capiygoua, Azzar.; Cabiai, Buff. XII, xlix. (The Capybara.) Size of Siam Pig; the muzzle very thick; legs short; hair coarse, and of a yellowish brown ; no tail. Inhabits the rivers of Guiana and the Amazon, where it lives in troops. The Beaver only approaches it in size. CAviA, Illig.-ANmMA, Fr. Cuv. The Cobayes, or Guinea-Pigs, are miniature representations of the Cabiais; but their toes are separated, and each of their molars has only one simple lamina, and one that is forked on the outside in the upper ones, and on the inside in the lower. The species best known, C. cobaia, Pall.; Mus porcellus, L.; Buff. VIII, i, (The Gui~ ea,-Pig) is now very common in Europe and America, where lt .1s brought up in houses, because its odour is thought to drive away Rats. Like all domesticated animals, it varies in colour. There is reason for believing it proceeds from an American animal called .B.perea, which is of the same size and form, but with a uniform reddish-grey fur. It is found in the woods of Brazil and Paraguay. KERonoN, Fred. Cuv. b !he Mocos have rather simpler grinders than the Cobaycs, each emg formed of two triangular prisms . |