Zoological Society. 55 



are inhabited by the Chinchilla or the Octodon. Nevertheless, as 

 both animals often inhabit the same cave, they frequently after great 

 labour find it only occupied by the Octodon. From observations 

 which my long residence in Chile has given me, I am inclined to 

 believe that the Octodon Cumingii does not breed more than twice 

 during the year, viz. in spring and autumn, producing from four to six 

 young at a birth. The favourite food of the Octodon is herbage near 

 the hedges : but in the winter months, when pressed by hunger, it feeds 

 on the tender bark of Mimosa Cavenia, also that of Cestrum Pcilqiii. 



" Schizodonfuscus — Waterh. 'Proc. Zool. Soc. for November 1841 

 — is found in the '\''alle de las Cuevas, on the eastern side of the 

 Andes, about six leagues from the slopes of the volcano of Peteroa, at 

 an elevation of from 5 — 7000 feet, in S. lat. 35°. Its favourite abode 

 is near the mountain streams in grassy situations. There are cer- 

 tain places in the valley completely undermined by the workings of 

 this animal ; and whilst we were riding over these districts, our 

 horses frequently plunged almost up to their knees in the burrows. 

 Whilst rambling in search of the beautiful alpine plants I could not 

 help feeling surprise at finding animals of this order in such a locality 

 as those elevated valleys, which are covered with snow at least four 

 months during the year. The question is, do they on the approach 

 of snow-storms migrate towards the verge of the Pampas, or make a 

 provision of dried grass and roots for the winter months ? I should 

 give my opinion in favour of the latter, judging from their enormous 

 burrows. The Schizodon fuscus is nocturnal like Poephagomys ater: 

 those I procured were shot in the evening near the entrances of their 

 caves. I have seen them burrowing and throwing the sand out of 

 their caves during the day ; but the moment they hear a noise their 

 labours cease and they retire deeper into their caves. 



" Notice of the new animal allied to Octodon. — Tliis animal is found 

 in the vicinity of the town of Curico, in the province of Colchagua ; 

 it inhabits the hedges made of dead bushes, and does not appear to 

 burrow, like many other species. The present species may be known 

 by the singular chirping or whistling noise which it makes. It forms 

 its nest in the decomposing bushes and sometimes on the surface of 

 the ground, of dried grass, and appears to live in small communities 

 of one or two families. This animal appears to be more rare than 

 many other Rodents, as I have never been able to find it in any other 

 locality, except the one above mentioned. 



" Poephagomys ater, F. Cuvier ; Mus cyamis, Molina. — The Poe- 

 phagomys ater is undoubtedly the animal alluded to by Molina under 

 the name Mus cyanus ; his long description of its habits agrees in 

 most respects with the habits of this little animal ; but I have never 

 yet heard it called by the natives ' Guanque ' : it is generally knowli 

 in Chile by the name of Cururo and Cuyeita ; Guanque is the ver- 

 nacular name of a species oi Dioscorea on which the ' Cururo' subsists. 

 Molina is perfectly correct in saying that it stores up a considerable 

 quantity of provisions, which consist of the Dioscorea, Conanthera, 

 Ornithogalum, Brodicea, and other bulbs and tubers which abound in 

 the country. The poorer class of inhabitants being aware of its 



