38 MR. E. T. BENNETT ON THE CHINCHILLID#. 
In the year 1772, the celebrated traveller Antonio de Ulloa published his ‘ Noticias 
Americanas’!, which contain a very particular account of the little animal in question. 
As this is perhaps the best history that has been given of its habits and manners, and 
as the book itself is scarce and little known, I have here translated it entire from the 
original Spanish, which, as in other cases, I subjoin in a note below?. ‘‘ Taking the 
place of the rabbit, which is wanting in Peru, there is another kind of animal called 
Viscacha, which is not found in Quito. In form and in the colour of its fur it is similar 
to the rabbit; but differs from it in having a long tail furnished with tufted hair (like 
that of the squirrels), which is very thin towards the root, but thick and long as it 
approaches the tip. It does not carry its tail turned over the head like the squirrels, 
but stretched out, as it were, in a horizontal direction: its joints are slender and scaly. 
These animals conceal themselves in holes of the rocks, in which they make their re- 
treats, not forming burrows in the earth like rabbits. Here they congregate in con- 
siderable numbers, and are mostly seen in a sitting posture, but not eating: they feed 
on the herbs and shrubs that grow among the same rocks, and are very active. Their 
means of escape do not consist in the velocity of their flight, but in the promptitude 
with which they run to the shelter of their holes. This they commonly do when 
wounded, for which reason the mode of killing them is by shooting them im the head, 
as if they receive the charge in any other part, although much injured, they do not fail 
to go and die in the interior of their burrows. They have this peculiarity, that as soon as 
they die their hair falls off; and on this account, although it is softer and somewhat 
longer and finer than that of the rabbit, the skin cannot be made use of for common 
purposes. The flesh is white, but not well flavoured ; being especially distasteful at 
certain seasons, when it is altogether repugnant to the palate.” 
The Journal de Physique for 17793, contains numerous translated extracts from an 
anonymous Italian work on the Natural History of Chili, sometimes attributed to the 
1 Madrid, 1772. 
2 « En correspondiencia de los Conejos que faltan en el Peru hay otra casta de animales, que llaman Viscachas, 
de que el reyno de Quito carece enteramente: son en la figura y en el color del pelo lo mismo que el Conejo, 
y se diferiencian de el en que tienen rabo largo, poblado de pelo esponjoso, al modo de las Ardillas: acia el 
nascimiento es muy ralo, y acia la punta espeso y largo: no lo trahen buelto acia la cabeza como la Ardilla, 
sino tendido quasi orizontalmente : las articulaciones so menudas y escamosas. Se esconden en los agugeros 
de las peas, y en ellos tienen sus madrigueras, no haciendolas en la tierra como los Conejos: alli estan juntas 
muchas, y lo mas del tempo se les vé sentadas sin comer: se alimentan de las yerbecillas, y de los arbustos que 
se crian entre las mismas pefias: son de mucha viveza; su escapada no la tienen en la carrera, sino en la 
prontitud di buscar la concabidad, y meterse en ella: de ordinario lo executan quando se sienten heridas, y por 
esto el modo de matarlas es tirandolas 4 la cabeza, pues aunque reciban el golpe en otra parte, y les hagan 
mucho dajio, no dexan de ir 4 morir a lo interior de la madriguera. Tienen la particularidad de que luego que 
mueren se les cae el pelo, y por esta razon, aunque es mas suave, y algo mas largo y fino que el del Conejo, no» 
se pueden aprovechar sus pieles para los usos communes. La carne es blanca, pero no de buen gusto, por ser 
fastidiosa, con particularidad en ciertos tiempos, en los que del todo repugna.” p. 180-1. 
3 Vol. xiv. p. 478-9. 
