166 ZOOLOGY. 



the elegant little comadreja would appear higlily absurd. Its appearance is much more like 

 that of a large mouse, although diifering in the much more pointed muzzle and very thick tail. 

 The fur has all the softness and fullness of the flying-squirrel. 



This species is said to abound in Chile, especially in its maritime portion, occurring from 

 Cobija to Curico, in Colchagua. It climbs trees with facility and feeds -upon insects, but is 

 readily caught in traps baited with cheese or meat. 



CAVIA AUSTEALIS, Geoff. 



Cavia australis, Is. Geoff, in Mag. de Zool. Ill, 1833, PI. xii. 

 D'Orbigny, Voyage dans I'Amerique, PL xviii. 

 Wagner, Suppl. Schreber, IV, 1844, 60. 



Watekhouse, Nat. Hist. Mammalia, II, 1848, 180, PI. iii, fig. 2. 

 Kerodon hhujii, Bennet, Pr. Zool. Soc. Lond. Ill, Dec. 1835, 190. 

 Watekhouse, Zool. of Beagle, Mammalia, 1839, 88. 

 Gray, List of Mammalia Br. Mus. 1843, 126. 

 Two specimens of this cavy were taken by Lieutenant MacKae not far from LTspallata, in lati- 

 tude 33°. The species was first described from Patagonia, and the extreme northern range 

 assigned by authors is 39°. By this discovery of Lieutenant MacRae, its range in a northern 

 direction has been extended by six degrees, although, according to the usual law, it is proba- 

 bly found at a greater height in proceeding towards the equator — the elevation of Uspallata 

 being 6,000 feet. 



This animal, congeneric with the well-known Guinea pig, is very common along the coast of 

 Patagonia, from the Eio Negro to the straits of Magellan. It frequents the bottoms of 

 hedges and the ruins of old buildings, and is said to dig deep burrows in the ground. Its 

 food consists of seeds and green herbage, and it has been observed to ascend trees to feed on 

 their fruits. 



The skull of this species differs in many respects from that of the Cavia a2:>erea, or common 

 Guinea pig. Its peculiarities are tolerably well represented in the figure of Waterhouse on 

 Plate vi, fig. 13. 



From the general resemblance of this species to a rabbit in its form and color, it generally 

 bears this name, and has given rise to the impression that the genus Lepus was to be found in 

 Patagonia. It bears the name of Mountain Eabbit at Uspallata. To Lacjomys the resem- 

 blance is very striking. 



The Cavia ausb-alis is not included by authors among the animals of Chile, though it not 

 imlikely occurs on the west side of the Cordilleras. 



LAGIDIUM CUVIERI, Wagn. 



Lagotis cuvieri, Bennet, Pr. Zool. Soc. Loud. I, 1833. 



Ib. Trans. Zool. Soc. I, 46, PI. iv. 

 Lagidium cuvieri, Wagner, Suppl. Schreber, III, 1843, 306. 



Waterhouse, Nat. Hist. Mam. II, 1848, 222. 

 f Lagidium peruanum, Meyen, Nova Acta, XVI, 5Y8. 



TscnuDi, Fauna Peruana, 164. 

 Callomys aureus, Is. Geoff. Ann. des Sc. Nat. XXI, 1830, 291. 

 VuLG. Viscacha. 

 The two specimen.? of this species, brought home by Lieutenant Gilliss, resemble most 

 closely the Lagidium cuvieri, as given by Bennet and Waterhouse, although approximating in 



