482 Zoological Society. 



** The Chinchilla I have never been able to capture, although I 

 spent a day or two in Cobija for that purpose. It is entirely a noc- 

 turnal animal, never making its appearance during the day, therefore 

 it cannot be taken with the gun : its habits and abode are similar to 

 the Viscacha. 



" The native hunters of this little animal domesticate the Quique 

 of Molina, which they term here Huron, the Spanish for ferret* ; the 

 Huron enters the crevices and holes made by the Chinchilla, and 

 drives them out, when they are either killed with sticks by the hunt- 

 ers or taken by the dogs trained for that purpose. 



" 1 find near the coast of Bolivia, where scarcely any vegetation 

 exists, the Chinchilla lives on the seed-vessel of a tall long-spined 

 species of Cereus, which it collects in small piles, and eats during 

 the night. These seed-vessels contain a great deal of pulpy sub- 

 stance surrounding the seeds, and the exterior is covered with long 

 hair. They are shaped like a pear, and are called by the natives 

 Pasas canas (hairy figs). The Cams fulvipes I am persuaded does 

 not exist in the northern provinces of Chile ; had this been the case 

 I should have taken it. Molina describes the Culpeo and the Chilla, 

 and £is I have not his work here I cannot give you his specific names ; 

 why not adopt them, as I consider them prior to those of other au- 

 thors ? On my return to Chile I will consult his work and send you 

 them. 



*' During my journey in Bolivia I have paid every attention to the 

 Mammalia, and only a few days ago I forwarded a box of skins to 

 Valparaiso, requesting my friend there to forward three species which 

 are highly interesting, and at the same time to me quite new. They 

 are — 



"1. Kerodon. — This animal I consider different from iC. iiCm^rii ; 

 it is found in the vicinity of Chuquisaca and Cochabamba in rocky 

 places, and not uncommon in fields surrounded by stone walls, in 

 which it takes shelter and lives. It is more solitary than K. Kingii, 

 as that species I found near Mendoza in what may be termed large 

 communities. This animal feeds during the day on grass and herb- 

 age, but, I have observed, after the dew is evaporated from the ground. 

 The hair of this animal appears, from what I remember, to be more 

 coarse and bristly ; however, comparison will decide ; I may perhaps 

 be mistaken. Native name, ' Conejitof.' 



" 2. A large Rat, with short tail and strong claws J. This curious 

 and astonishing animal I first found a few leagues south of Potosi, 

 at an elevation of 12,000 feet, in sandy slopes and valleys, at no 

 great distance from water. Large patches of land are completely 

 undermined by its workings, which are similar to those of Schizodon 

 fuscus. I at first concluded that it burrowed for amusement, or the 

 change of residence, but on deeper consideration I consider it does 

 so in pursuit of bulbs and the roots of grass for food, like Poephago- 

 mys ater. It may be seen working in the morning, throwing out the 



* This is the Galictis vittata of Bell.— G. R. W. 



t The speoies referred to is the Cavia cobaia of authors. — G. R. W. 



X Ctenomys braziliensis of De Biainville. — G. R. W. 



