6 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
in burrows underground in the open country of the 
northern provinces of Chili, and is very fond of being 
in company with others of its species. It feeds upon 
the roots of various bulbous plants which grow abun- 
dantly in those parts ; and produces twice a year five 
or six young ones. It is so docile and mild in temper 
that if taken into the hands it neither bites nor tries 
to escape ; but seems to take a pleasure in being 
caressed. If placed in the bosom it remains there as 
still and quiet as if it were in its own nest. This 
extraordinary placidity may possibly be rather due to 
its pusillanimity, which renders it extremely timid. As 
it is in itself peculiarly cleanly, there can be no fear 
of its soiling the clothes of those who handle it, or of 
its communicating any bad smell to them, for it is 
entirely free from that ill odour which characterizes 
the other species of Rats. For this reason it might 
well be kept in the houses with no annoyance and at 
a trifling expense, which would be abundantly repaid 
by the profits on its wool. The ancient Peruvians, 
who were far more industrious than the modern, made 
of this wool coverlets for beds and valuable stuffs. — 
There is found, " he adds, " in the same northern 
provinces another little animal with fine wool called 
the Hardilla, which is variously described by those who 
have seen it ; but as I have never observed it myself, I 
cannot determine to what genus it belongs." There 
can be little doubt, we should imagine, that this animal 
is identical with the Chinchilla, the latter, as we have 
already seen, being frequently spoken of by the name 
of Arda, the same with Harda, of which Hardilla is 
only the diminutive. 
We shall conclude our quotations of former notices 
with the following extract from Schmidtmeyer's " Tra- 
vels into Chile over the Andes," London, 4to., 1824 ; 
