Biography of the Vizcacha. 291 



of from one hundred to two hundred square feet of 

 ground. 



The burrows vary greatly in extent ; and usually 

 in a vizcachera there are several that, at a distance 

 of from four to six feet from the entrance, open into 

 large circular chambers. From these chambers 

 other burrows diverge in all directions, some run- 

 ning horizontally, others obliquely downwards to a 

 maximum depth of six feet from the surface : some 

 of these burrows or galleries communicate with 

 those of other burrows. A vast amount of loose 

 earth is thus brought up, and forms a very irregular 

 mound, fifteen to thirty inches above the surround- 

 ing level. 



It will afford some conception of the numbers of 

 these vizcacheras on the settled pampas when I say 

 that, in some directions, a person might ride five 

 hundred miles and never advance half a mile without 

 seeing one or more of them. In districts where, 

 as far as the eye can see, the plains are as level and 

 smooth as a bowling-green, especially in winter 

 when the grass is close-cropped, and where the 

 rough giant-thistle has not sprung up, these 

 mounds appear like brown or dark spots on a green 

 surface. They are the only irregularities that occur 

 to catch the eye, and consequently form an im- 

 portant feature in the scenery. In some places 

 they are so near together that a person on horse- 

 back may count a hundred of them from one point 

 of view. 



The sites of which the vizcacha invariably makes 

 choice to work on, as well as his manner of burrow- 

 ing, adapt him peculiarly to live and thrive on the 



