WOOLLY MOUSE. 



Mus Laniger. M. cauda mediocri, palmis tetradactylis, plantis 

 pentadactylis, corpore cinereo lanato. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmd. 

 p. 134. Molin. Hist. Chil. p. 267. 



Ash-coloured Woolly Mouse, with tetradactyle fore-feet, penta- 

 dactyle hind-feet, and tail of middling length. 



Woolly Rat. Pennant Qiutdr. 2. p. 196. 



The Woolly Mouse is a South American spe- 

 cies, and is a native of Chili, where it resides in 

 subterraneous retreats, in a gregarious manner, 

 and feeds on various kinds of roots. It breeds 

 twice a year, bringing five or six at a time. It 

 is said to be an animal of a very mild and gentle 

 disposition, very easily tamed, and often render- 

 ed domestic. The ancient Peruvians are said to 

 have manufactured various valuable articles from 

 its fur, which is of a woolly nature, long, and of 

 exquisite fineness. This species is of a cinereous 

 colour, and measures about six inches : the ears 

 are very small ; the nose short, and the tail of 

 middling length. 



