CHILI BEAVER. 33 
its name from its resemblance to parchment ; but 
stage beaver is the worst* and is that which the 
Indians kill out of season in their stages or jour- 
neys. 
The valuable drug castoreum* is taken from the 
inguinal glands of these animals. The Russian 
castoreum sells for two guineas a pound ; the 
American for eight shillings and sixpence only ; 
yet vast numbers of beaver skins are imported 
to Russia. Their flesh is reckoned good eatings 
being preserved after the bones are taken out* by 
drying it in the smoke. 
The ancients had a notion that the castoreum 
was lodged in the testicles* and that the animal* 
when hard pursued* would bite them off and leave 
them to its pursuers* as if conscious of what they 
wanted to destroy him for. 
Chili beaver. 
This is a species peculiar to South America* 
and appears to have been first described by Molina* 
in his Natural History of Chili. He informs us 
that it is found in the very deep lakes and rivers 
of that country* and feeds principally on fish and 
crabs. 
Its length from nose to tail is about three feet ; 
the head is of a squarish form ; the eyes small ; 
the ears rounded and| short* and the snout obtuse; 
in each jaw are two sharp and strong cutting teeth* 
and the grinders are like those of the common 
beaver. The body is very broad* and covered* like 
the common beaver* with two sorts of hair ; tb© 
shortest or softest of which* is superior to that of 
most other quadrupeds* and is in high esteem w ith 
the manufacturers* being wrought into a kind of 
cloth* which has the softness of velvet ; and is 
#lso used in the manufacture of hats.- The coloqr 
