82 A DESCRIPTION OF 
THE CHINCHILLA. (Chincella lanigera.) 
THE Chinchilla is a native of America, and its coat pro- 
duces the beautiful fur known by its name. This animal 
was but little known to naturalists until Captain Beechey 
brought home with him a specimen from the north-west 
coast of America, and presented it to the Zoological So- 
ciety. 
The length of the body of this little animal is about 
nine inches, and its tail nearly five ; its limbs are compa- 
ratively short, the hind legs being much the longest. 
The fur is long, thick, close, and woolly, somewhat crisped, 
and entangled togther ; of a grayish or ash colour above, 
and paler beneath. The form of the head resembles that 
of the rabbit ; the eyes are full, large, and black ; and the 
ears broad, naked, round at the tips, and nearly as long as the 
head. The whiskers are plentiful and strong, the longest be- 
ing twice as long as the head, some of them black, others 
white. Four short toes, with an appearance of a thumb, ter- 
minate the fore feet ; the hinder have the same number of toes, 
but have less the appearance of hands : on all these toes the 
claws are short, and nearly hidden by tufts of bristly 
hairs. The tail is about half the length of the body, of 
equal thickness throughout, and covered with long bushy 
hairs. It resembles in some degree the jerboa, and takes 
