41 



CHILI BEAVER. 



Castor Huidobrius. C. cauda longa compresso-lancedata, palmls 

 lobati 1 ;, plantis palmatis. Molina. Hi-sf. Chi!, p. 253. 



Beaver with long compresso-lanceolate hair}' tail, lobated fore- 

 feet, and palmated hind-feet. 



Guillino Beaver. Pennant Quadr. 2. p. 120. 



THIS is a species peculiar to South America, 

 and appears to have been first described by Mo- 

 lina in his natural history of Chili. He informs 

 us that it is found in the very deep lakes and 

 rivers of that country, and feeds principally on 

 fish and crabs. Its length from nose to tail is 

 about three feet ; the head is of a squarish form ; 

 the eyes small ; the ears rounded and short, and 

 the snout obtuse : in each jaw are t\vo sharp and 

 strong cutting teeth, and the grinders are like 

 those of the Common Beaver. The body is very 

 broad, and covered, like the Common Beaver, with 

 two sorts of hair ; the shortest or softest of which 

 is superior to that of most other quadrupeds, and 

 is in high esteem with the manufacturers, being 

 wrought into a kind of cloth, which has the soft- 

 ness of velvet ; and is also used in the manufac- 

 ture of hats. The colour of this animal is grey 

 above, and whitish beneath ; the toes of the fore 

 feet are lobated, or bordered with a membrane, 

 and the hind feet are webbed : the toes are five in 

 number on all the feet. The tail is of a com- 

 pressed lanceolate form and hairy. It is a bold 

 and even fierce animal, and has the power of con- 



