142 CiiiNCHiLLiD^. MAMMALIA. Cavid.®. 
female preserved in the Zoological Society’s Gardens, 
Regent’s Park, produced seven young ones at a single 
litter. From eighty to a hundred thousand skins are 
annually imported into this country. 
THE CHINCHA {Lagotis Cuoieri) is about the size 
of an ordinary rabbit, possessing long ears and a 
greyish-coloured fur. All the feet are tetradactylous, 
the digits being furnished wth rather small claws; each 
molar tooth is made up of three laminse ; the whiskers 
are very long, some ten or twelve of the bristles bemg 
particularly stout. This animal lives on the western 
slopes of the Andes, and has often been confounded 
with the viscacha, from which, however, it is quite 
distinct. According to UUoa’s observations, as quoted 
by Mr. Bennett, the Chinchas “ conceal themselves 
in holes of the rocks, in wliich they make their retreats, 
not fonning burrows in the earth, like rabbits. There 
they congregate in considerable nmnhers, and are 
mostly seen in a sitting posture, hut not eating ; they 
feed on the herbs and shrubs that grow among the 
rocks, and are very active. Their means of escape do 
not consist in the velocity of their flight, but in the 
promptitude with which they run to the shelter of their 
holes. This they commonly do when wounded, for 
which reason the mode of killing is by shooting them 
m the head.” There is a second species, the Lagotis 
paUipes of Bennett, which closely resembles its fellow. 
One remarkable peculiarity possessed by these animals 
consists in the caducous character of their fur; this 
immediately after death, falls off on the slightest touch, 
so that, in an economic point of view, the sldn is 
rendered almost valueless. 
THE VISCACHA (Lagostomus irichodactylus) is also 
known by tlie names of Biscacho and Marmot Diana. 
It lives on the eastern declivities of the Andes, and is 
quite distinct from the chincha, which occupies the 
western slopes of the same chain of momitains. Vari- 
ous interesting accounts of the habits of this species 
have been given by different miters, and more par- 
ticularly by Darwin, Bennett, and Dobrizhoffer. These 
records are in general very similar, though differing 
in a few particulars. Mr. Darwin states that in the 
evening the Viscachas come out of their holes “ in 
great numbers, and there sit quietly on their haunches. 
They are, at such times, very tame, and a man on horse- 
back passing by, seems only to present an object for 
their grave contemplation. They do not wander far 
from their burrows. They rmi very awkwardly, and 
when hurrying out of danger, from their elevated tails 
and short front legs, much resemble great rats. Their 
flesh when cooked is very white and good, but it is 
seldom used. The Viscacha has one very singnlar habit, 
namely, dragging every hard object to tire mouth of its 
burrow. Around each group of holes many bones of 
cattle, stones, thistle-stalks, hard clumps of earth, dry 
dimg, &c., are collected into a heap, which frequently 
amounts to as much as a wheelbarrow would contain. 
I was credibly informed,” adds Mr. Darwin, “ that a 
gentleman, when riding in a dark night, dropped his 
watch ; he returned in the morning, and by searchhig 
in the neighbourhood of every riscacha-hole on the 
line of road, as he expected, soon found it. Tliis habit 
of picking up whatever may be lying on the ground 
anywhere near its habitation, must cost much trouble. 
For what purpose it is done I am unable to form the 
most remote conjecture ; it cannot be for defence, 
because the rubbish is chiefly placed above the mouth 
of the burrow, which enters the groimd at a very small 
inclination.” The fur of the Viscacha has a greyish- 
dusky colour, the tail is bro\vnish-black, and the face is 
marked with several black and white bands. 
Family X.— CAVIDAH. 
The members of this family, as we propose to retain 
them, may be fairly subdivided into two minor groups 
— namely, those which have rooted grinders, and those 
whose molars are rootless. Some have separated them 
into two distinct families ; but in most particulars they 
are very closely allied. The molars are sixteen in 
number, being more or less complicated by laminar 
plates. The front feet are either three or four-toed, 
the hind feet being generally tridactylous, and in some 
cases pentadactylous, mth the two outer digits feebly 
developed. The claws are strong, compressed, and 
arched. The Cavies are all inhabitants of the South 
American continent. Their bodies are clothed with 
short hair ; the ears are moderately developed, whilst 
the tail is either very small or altogether wanting. 
THE PATAGONIAN CAVY {Dolichotis Patagonica) 
frequents the desert wastes of the southernmost parts 
of America, extendmg as far north as La Plata. It is 
considerably larger than our common hare, a full- 
grown example weighing as much sometimes as thirty 
pounds. The fur presents a mixture of grey and rust 
colour, the under parts of the head, neck, and belly 
being white. The molars have no roots ; the incisors 
being smooth and nearly white. The fore-feet are 
four-toed ; the hinder ones, three-toed. The large 
ears are broad at the base, and more than half the 
length of the head. The legs are high — a feature by 
which it ought to be readily distinguished from the 
hare, but is generally overlooked by uninformed tra- 
vellers. In regard to its habits, it is, like its congeners, 
fond of burrowing, and, according to Mr. Darwhi, 
“when found in the same districts with the viscacha, it 
will avail itself of the excavations of this little animal 
for a retreat. The Patagonian Cavies wander at times 
to great distances from their homes, and usually two 
or three are seen together on these occasions. The 
animal in its mode of running more nearly resembles 
the rabbit than the hare, and though its limbs are long 
it does not run very fast. It seldom squats after the 
manner of the hare, is very shy and watchful, and 
feeds by day.” The female produces two young at a 
birth. 
THE ROCK CAVY {Cavia rupestris) is a native of 
the rocky districts of Brazil generally. It is likewise 
found abundant in the higher regions bordering the 
Rio Pardo and Rio de St. Francisco. It is a taller 
species than the above, and is remarkable as having 
the nails of the toes blunt, and so small that they 
scarcely project beyond the large digital toe-pads with 
which the feet are also supplied. It has no tail, and 
the ears are shorter than one half of the head. The 
ilesh is considered good eating. 
