54 Zoological Society. 



numerous small Rodents inhabiting that country, which is so rich in 

 this interesting group. The Muslongipilis is without a native name 

 to distinguish it from the other species found in Chile. All the small 

 species belonging to different families are known and called by the 

 natives by the name of Llaucha, pronounced Yaw-cha, a term in 

 the language of the Auracarian Indians signifying a mouse, and this 

 name is current in the present day in the parts of the country occu- 

 pied by the descendants of the Spaniards. The general term applied 

 to the large species is ' Ratones.' There is a species found near 

 the town of Quillota, fourteen leagues distant from Valparaiso, and 

 probably not yet known to naturalists, called ' Pericote.' This 

 animal lives in common in the caves with Octodon Cumingii. 



" Myopotamus Coypus, Auct., — Mus Coypus, Molina, — inhabits the 

 margins of rivers and lakes in the southern provinces of Chile, abound- 

 ing more in the lakes than in the rivers, where the Typha latifolia 

 and Scirpus species are plentiful to give them shelter. During the 

 time of copulation, which takes place in September and October, the 

 Coypo makes a mournful kind of cry, which somewhat resembles 

 that of a young child. I was once riding along the margins of one 

 of the streams which enters the river Teno in the province of Col- 

 chagua, and my attention was roused by a most melancholy sound, 

 which I fancied was from a child in the water, and to my surprise I 

 found it arose from a Coypo seated on a dead stump almost on a 

 level with the water. I could not help listening for a few minutes 

 at the singular noise, till on a sudden, when the Coypo saw me, it 

 disappeared under water. The Coypo possesses a strong attach- 

 ment for its young, and swims with them on its back till they are 

 sufficiently large to follow the old ones in pursuit of their food. The 

 places where the Coypo most abounds in Chile are the borders of 

 the river Maypo near Santiago, the capital of the country, also in 

 the lakes of 'Aculeo' and Quintero. The natives, especially the 

 husbandmen, use the skin of this animal to make tobacco-pouches. 



" Octodon Cumingii, Bennett, — Sciurus Degus, Molina, — Dondro- 

 bins Degus, Meyen, — is the most common of all the Chile Rodents. 

 It is found in the hedges of the central provinces of Chile, and may 

 be seen during the day, but more generally in the afternoon. In 

 habits it is tame, and at first sight distinguished from all other spe- 

 cies from its activity and by its carrying the tail curved upwards like 

 the mountain Lagotis or Viscacha. This little animal has a very ex- 

 tended range : I have seen it as far north as lat. 28°, and in south 

 35°, and it may probably extend further, but I do not remember seeing 

 it in the provinces of Chiloe or Valdivia. In the province Coquimbo, 

 where hedges do not abound, owing to the sterility of the country, 

 it inhabits rocky situations, living amongst the loose stones on the 

 slopes of mountains ; and it is frequently found in the caves or bur- 

 rows of the Chinchilla. The natives employed in killing the ■ Chin- 

 chillas,' which are not uncommon about Coquimbo and Huasco, 

 before they commence following the burrows, which they do with 

 crow-bars, examine the dung of the animals about the caves, and 

 from their practical knowledge they distinguish at once if the caves 



