Of the Indian little PIG-CONY.
I Received the picture of this beast from a certain Noble-man my loving friend in Paris, whose parts it is not needfull to describe, seeing the image it self is perspicuous and easie to be observed. The quantity of this beast doth not exceed the quantity of a vulgar Cony, but rather the body is shorter, yet fuller, as also I observed by those two, which that noble and learned Physician Joh. Munzin∣gerus sent me. It hath two little low ears, round and almost pild without hair, having also short legs, five claws upon one foot behind, and six before; teeth like a mouse, but no tail, and the colour va∣riable. I have seen of them all white, and all yellow, and also different from both those; their voice is much like the voice of a Pig, and they eat all kinds of Herbs, Fruits, Oats, and Bread; and some give them water to drink, but I have nourished some divers moneths together, and never given them any water, but yet I gave them moist food, as Herbs, Apples, Rapes, and such like, or else they would incur the Dropsie.
Their flesh is sweet for meat, of a yellowish colour, like the Larde of Swine, and therefore not so white as is our vulgar Cony: they do not dig like other Conies, and for the farther description of their nature, I will express it in the words of Munzingerus aforesaid, for thus he writeth.
One of the males is sufficient in procreation for seven or nine of the females, and by that means they are made more fruitful, but if you put them one male to one female, then will the venereous salacity of the male procure abortment. It is affirmed that they go threescore daies with young before they litter, and I saw of late one of them bear eight at one time in her womb, but three of them were stifled. They bring forth in the winter, and their whelpes are not blinde as are the Conies. They are no way so harmful as other are, either to bite or dig, but more tractable in hand; howbeit untamable. If two males be put to one female, they fight fiercely, but they will not