Editing Guinea pig (section)

=== Guinea pig ===
The origin of "guinea" in "guinea pig" is hard to explain. One proposed explanation is that the animals were brought to Europe by way of [[Guinea (region)|Guinea]], leading people to think they had originated there.{{sfn|Wagner|Manning|1976|p=2}} "Guinea" was also frequently used in English to refer generally to any far-off, unknown country, so the name may be a colorful reference to the [[Exotic pet|animal's exotic origins]].<ref name="dictionary">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Results for "Guinea pig" |dictionary=Dictionary.com |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Guinea%20pig |access-date=2006-08-29}}</ref><ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Cavy}}</ref>

Another hypothesis suggests the "guinea" in the name is a corruption of "[[The Guianas|Guiana]]", an area in South America.<ref name="dictionary" />{{sfn|Wagner|Manning|1976|pp=2–3}} A common misconception is that they were so named because they were sold for the price of a [[Guinea (British coin)|guinea coin]]. This hypothesis is untenable because the guinea was first struck in England in 1663, and [[William Harvey]] used the term "Ginny-pig" as early as 1653.<ref>{{cite book |last=Harvey |first=William |title=Anatomical exercitations concerning the generation of living creatures to which are added particular discourses of births and of conceptions, &c |year=1653 |page=527}}</ref> Others believe "guinea" may be an alteration of the word [[wikt:coney|coney]] (rabbit); guinea pigs were referred to as "pig coneys" in [[Edward Topsell]]'s 1607 treatise on [[quadrupedalism|quadrupeds]].{{sfn|Wagner|Manning|1976|p=2}}

How the animals came to be called "pigs" is not clear. They are built somewhat like pigs, with large heads relative to their bodies, stout necks, and rounded rumps with no tail of any consequence; some of the sounds they emit are very similar to those made by pigs, and they spend a large amount of time eating.{{sfn|Wagner|Manning|1976|p=2}}{{sfn|Terril|Clemons|1998|p=2}} They can survive for long periods in small quarters, like a "pig pen", and were easily transported by ship to Europe.{{sfn|Wagner|Manning|1976|p=2}}