410 



VERTEBRATA. 



Darwin famishes us with the following account: "Near Buenos Ayres these animals are ex- 

 ceedingly common. Their most favorite resort appears to he those parts of the plain which, 

 during one half of tin' year, are covered with great thistles to the exclusion of other plants. 

 The Goachos affirm that it lives on roots, which, from the great strength of its gnawing teeth 

 and the kind of localities frequented by it, Minis probable. As in the case of the rabbit, a few 

 hole- arc commonly placed together. In the evening the Viscachas come out in numbers, and 

 there quietly sil "ii their haunches. They are at such times very tame, and a man on horsehack 

 passing by seems only to present an object for their grave contemplation. They do not wander 

 far from their burrows. They run wry awkwardly, and when hurrying out of danger, from their 

 elevated tails and short front-legs, much resemble great rats. Their flesh, when cooked, is very 

 white and good, but it is seldom used. The Viscacha has one very singular habit, namely, drag- 

 ging every hard object to the mouth of its burrow. Around each group of holes many bones 

 i'\ cattle, stones, thistle-stalks, hard clumps of earth, dry dung, <fec, are collected into a heap, 

 which frequently amounts to as much as a wheelbarrow would contain. I was credibly informed 

 that a gentleman, when riding in a dark night, dropped his watch ; he returned in the morning, 

 and b\ searching in the neighborhood of every Viscacha hole on the line of road, as he expected 

 soon found it. This habit of picking up whatever may be lying on the ground anywhere near 

 its habitation must cost much trouble. For what purpose it is done I am quite unable to form 

 even the most remote conjecture; it cannot be for defense, because the rubbish is chiefly placed 

 above the mouth of the burrow, which enters the ground at a very small inclination." 



cuvier's lagotis. 



Genus LAGOTIS : Larjotis. — Of this there are two known species. Cuvier's Lagotis, L. Cuvicri, 

 resembles the preceding, but the body is more slender, the cars longer, and the tail much larger. Its 

 general appearance reminds one of the hare. The body above is yellow, with a faint tinge of 

 green, in parts Blightly mottled with black; below it is a golden yellow, with a faint reddish 

 wash ; the mustaches are black. The fur is exceedingly fine and soft to the touch, and the 

 Indians make blankets and mantles of it. The tail is carried stretched out, and its joints are 

 slender and scaly. The flesh is eaten by the Indians. It lives in rocky and stony places, feeds 

 on herbs and shrubs, and digs burrows with two flats or stories, one above the other. It appear- 

 that this is also sometimes called Viscacha. It is very abundant on the western slopes of the t 

 Andes, tVnni latitude 18 to 30° south. 



The Lagotis pallipes is found in the rocky valleys of Chili. To these two species, Mr. Gay 

 adds a third. A. criniger ; but whetheT it is in fact a distinct species, is not determined. 



Genus CHINCHILLA : Chinchilla. — Lichtenstein gives this the generic name of Euryoti*. \ 



