130 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



each to possess a smaller tliird lamina of bone, with its 

 corresponding enamel, placed in front of, and not project- 

 ing so far externally as, the two remaining portions of the 

 tooth. This third lamina is separated from that next to it 

 by a deep groove on the inner side, but on the outer there 

 is no indication of sUch a division ; the inner surface of each 

 of these teeth consequently offers two such grooves, while 

 the outer presents no more than one. 



In the observations appended to his account of the teeth, 

 Mr. Yarrell appears to consider the Chinchilla as nearly 

 allied to Mr. Brooke's new genus Lagostomus, of which a 

 figure and description are contained in the last published 

 part, (the first of the sixteenth volume) of the Linnaean 

 Transactions; and the general resemblance of form, together 

 with the characters of the teeth as given in that notice, un- 

 questionably warrant at least a close approximation. But 

 we apprehend that the alteration above made in the descrip- 

 tion of the teeth of the Chinchilla, together with the dis- 

 crepancy in the number of the toes, which in our animal 

 are four on the hind feet, while in Lagostomus they are but 

 three, will be considered fully sufficient to establish a 

 generic difference between them. The close affinity sub- 

 sisting between these animals has been subsequently re- 

 cognised by M. Cuvier, from the very imperfect materials 

 in his possession, consisting only of mutilated skins of the 

 one and drawings and descriptions of the other. In the 

 new edition, just published, of his Regne Animal he re- 

 gards them both as decidedly forming part of the same 

 genus; but does not venture, until he shall have seen their 

 teeth, to determine their position in the series, which he 

 '"onsiders so uncertain as to render it doubtful whether 

 they approach most nearly to the Guinea-pigs, theLagomys 

 or the Rats. In the removal of these doubts we are happy 

 to assist by furnishing the proof that, although generically 

 distinct, they both evidently belong to the same natural 

 tribe, and contribute, along with Lagomys and Pedetes, to 

 establish a connexion between the otherwise widely sepa- 

 rated families of the Hares and the Jerboas. 



The length of the body in our specimen is about nine 

 inches, and that of the tail nearly five. Its proportions are 

 close-set, and its limbs comparatively short, the posterior 

 being considerably longer than the anterior. The fur is 

 long, thick, close, woolly, somewhat crisped and entangled 

 together, grayish or ash-coloured above, and paler beneath. 

 The form of the head resembles that of the Rabbit; the 

 eyes are full, large, and black; and the ears broad, naked, 

 rounded at the tips, and nearly as long as the head. The 

 moustaches are plentiful and very long, the longest being 

 twice the length of the head, some of them black, and others 

 white. Four short toes, with a distinct rudiment of a 

 thumb, terminate the anterior feet; and the posterior are 



furnished with the same number, three of them long, the 

 middle more produced than the two lateral ones, and the 

 fourth, external to the others, very short and placed far be- 

 hind. On all these toes the claws are short, and nearly 

 hidden by tufts of bristly hairs. The tail is about half the 

 length of the body, of equal thickness throughout, and 

 covered with long bushy hairs; it is usually kept turned 

 up towards the back, but not reverted as in the Squirrels. 



To the account of its habits given by Molina we can only 

 add that it usually sits upon its haunches, and is even able 

 to raise itself up and stand upon its hinder feet. It feeds in 

 a sitting posture, grasping its food and conveying it to its 

 mouth by means of its fore paws. In its temper it is gene- 

 rally mild and tractable, but it will not always sufier itself 

 to be handled without resistance, and sometimes bites the 

 hand which attempts to fondle it when not in a humour to 

 be played with. 



Although a native of the alpine valleys of Chili, and 

 consequently subjected in its own country to the effects of a 

 low temperature of the atmosphere, against which its thick 

 coat affords an admirable protection; it was thought neces- 

 sary to keep it during the winter in a moderately warm 

 room, and a piece of flannel was even introduced into its 

 sleeping apartment for its greater comfort. But this indul- 

 gence was most pertinaciously rejected, and as often as the 

 flannel was replaced, so often was it dragged by the little 

 animal into the outer compartment of its cage, where it 

 amused itself with pulling it about, rolling it up and shaking 

 it with its feet and teeth. In other respects it exhibits but 

 little playfulness, and gives few signs of activity; seldom 

 disturljing itsusualquietudebyany sudden or extraordinary 

 gambols, but occasionally displaying strong symptoms of 

 alarm when startled by any unusual occurrence. It is, in 

 fact, a remarkably tranquil and peaceable animal unless 

 when its timidity gets the better of its gentleness. 



A second individualof this interesting species has lately 

 been added to the collection by the kindness of Lady Knigh- 

 ton, in whose possession it had remained for twelve months 

 previously to her presenting it to the Society. This 

 specimen is larger in size and rougher in its fur than the 

 one above described; its colour is also less uniformly gray, 

 deriving a somewhatmottled appearance from the numerous 

 small blackish spots which are scattered over the back and 

 sides. It is possible that this may be the Peruvian variety, 

 mentioned in the extract from Schmidtmeyer's Travels, as 

 furnishing a less delicate and valuable fur than the Chilian 

 animal. It is equally good tempered and mild in its dispo- 

 sition; and, probably in consequence of having been domi- 

 ciliated in a private house instead of having been exhibited 

 in a public collection, is much more tame and playful. In 

 its late abode it was frequently suffered to run about the 



