170 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



duito. In form, and in the color 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 squirrel,) which is very thin towards the root, 

 but thick and long as it approaches the tip. It does not carry ita 

 tail turned over the head like the squirrel, 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 retreats, not forming burrows in the earth like 

 rabbits. There they congregate in considerable numbers, and are 

 mostly seen in a sitting posture, but not eating ; they feed on the 

 herbs and shrubs that grow among the 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 in 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 flavored, being especially 

 distasteful at certain seasons, when it is altogether repugnant to the 

 palate. 



The Chinchilla Lanigera, whose fur was formerly so generally 

 used as an article of dress and ornament, is another species of the 

 Lagotis found in Peru. Is also bears the name of Viscacha or 

 Biscacha among the natives. It digs its burrows in the more 

 elevated parts of the plains with so much art, that no aperture is 

 left by which the rain can penetrate ; and these burrows are 

 divided into distinct settlements, numerous families inhabiting the 

 same locality. On the surface of the ground are several entrances 

 to the burrows, at which, towards sunset, they are seen seated in 

 crowds, diligently listening for the sound- of any person approach 

 ing. If everything remains quiet, they seek their food in the 

 obscurity of the night, and commit grievous devastation on the 

 neighboring fields, devouring both wheat and Indian corn with 



