DWELLINGS. 163 



even able to make its own conditions, like the Beaver, 

 and is in this respect, and in its highly-developed social 

 instinct, among the two or three Mammals which 

 approach Man, although only a Rodent, and even in 

 this order, according to Waterhouse, coming very low 

 down by reason of its marsupial affinities. 



The Vizcacha lives in small communities of from 

 twenty to thirty members, in a village of deep-cham- 

 bered burrows, some twelve or fifteen in number, with 

 large pit-like entrances closely grouped together, and 

 as the Vizcachera, as this village is called, endures for 

 an indefinitely long period, the earth which is con- 

 stantly brought up forms an irregular mound thirty 

 or forty feet in diameter, and from fifteen to thirty 

 inches above the level of the road ; this mound serves 

 to protect the dwelling from floods on low ground. 

 A clearing is made all round the abode and all 

 rubbish thrown on the mound ; the Vizcachas thus 

 have a smooth turf on which to disport themselves, 

 and are freed from the danger of lurking enemies. 



The entire village occupies an area of one hundred 

 to two hundred square feet of ground. The burrows 

 vary greatly in extent ; usually in a Vizcachera there 

 are several that, at a distance of from four to six feet 

 from the entrance, open into large circular chambers. 

 From these chambers other burrows diverge in all 

 directions, some running horizontally, others obliquely 

 downwards to a maximum depth of six feet from the 

 surface ; some of these galleries communicate with 

 those of other burrows. 



On viewing a Vizcachera closely, the first thing that 

 strikes the observer is the enormous size of the 

 entrances to the central burrows in the mound ; there 

 are usually several smaller outside burrows. The 



