“THE CHINCHE. 243 
ton’s specimen? The author of the “ Gar- 
den and Menageries” resents the notion of 
Buffon, that the Chinchilla is the same with 
the Chinche, another name occurring in 
South America, because, as he states, * the 
Chinche is the most insupportably offensive 
of all stinking animals; and because the skins 
of the Chinche and Chinchilla are essentially 
different, as may be seen in the warehouse 
of every furrier.” That the writer now 
quoted has in view two really and very dif- 
ferent animals of South America, severally 
called Chinche and Chinchilla, there can be 
no reason to doubt; but is it equally certain 
that the name of Chinche may not have a 
looser and a more general interpretation in 
South America, and be really applied to 
what the Spaniards call Arda, or a Squirrel, 
and that this may be the larger species or 
variety presented by Lady Knighton, and 
native of the north of Chili and of Peru; 
while the smaller is the Chinchilla, or Ardilla, 
or Little Squirrel of the Spaniards; and 
with its smaller size, and, therefore, finer 
and warmer coat, a native of the more 
northern or colder parts of Chili? 
