458 



MAMMALIA. 



till deposited in their burrows. These Eodents are armed with 

 powerful claws, with Mhich they hollow out runs and holes in 

 the ground. Hence the name of Geomys, or Earth-Eats (from 

 jq, earth, and nBc, Rat or Mouse), applied to them. 



The New World also supports a group of Eodents, which are 

 distinguished by the following characteristics, — strong claws, 

 useful for digging, prominent eyes, well- developed ears, a soft 

 and thick coat, a long or moderately-sized tail, pretty well 

 covered with hair. This group is that of the Chinchillidae, 

 which includes the Chinchilla, Lagotis, and Yiscaccia genera. 



Fig. 191.— The CMndlilla (Chinchilla laniger). 



The Chinchilla Genus. — The Chinchillas have rounded and 

 widely-spread ears, the tail moderately long, and of a brush-like 

 shape, similar to that of the Squirrel ; long stiff feelers, like 

 moustachios, adorn the upper lip. Their fur is soft, of a 

 glossy grey colour, and forms a considerable article of trade 

 between America and Europe. 



These animals (Fig. 191) are natives of the Chilian and 

 Peruvian mountains. Their food is chiefly composed of bulbous 

 plants, to which they add dried grass and seeds. They are 

 sociable in their nature, and their burrows are sometimes so close 

 together as to impair the solidity of the ground, and to hinder 

 traffic. They are very prolific, for the females bear two litters a 

 year of three or four young. 



