154 
The Animal-Lore of Shalcspeare’s Time . 
like the penner of an ink-horne, and grayish speckled haire: they are 
pretie beasts to keepe and to passe the time withall.” ( Purchas, 
vol. ii. p. 1771.) 
Topsell enlightens ns as to the deriva- 
Marmot. ^ Qn ^ worc [ Marmot:— 
“ The Alpine mouse taketh her name from the Alpes wherein she 
is bred, and although there be many other kindes of mice bred in the 
Alpes, yet this being the principal thereof, receiveth denomination 
from the mountaines. The Italians cal it marmota , in Fraunce mar- 
mote, although marmot be a word also among them for a munkey. 
The Helvetians by a corrupt word, drawne from a mouse of the 
mountain, murmelthier , and murmentle, and some mistbellerle , by 
reason of his sharp whining voice like a little dogs.” (Page 551.) 
Another species of rodent, much prized for its 
Chinchilla beautiful silky grey fur, was the Chinchilla. 
The earliest account of this animal is given 
in Joseph Acosta’s Observations on the East and West 
Indies , of which a translation was published in London in 
1604. He says:— 
“ The chinchilles is an other kinde of small beasts, like squirrels. 
They have a wonderfull smoothe and soft skin, which they weare as a 
healthfull thing to comfort the stomacke; they make coverings and 
rugs of the haire of these chinchilles, which are found on the Sierre of 
Peru.” (Purchas, vol. iii. p. 966.) 
The confusion of pronouns here is worthy of Clarendon 
himself. 
The Yiscacha of the Pampas, a strange-looking 
^ k animal somewhat resembling a marmot, with 
a double set of whiskers, is also mentioned by 
Acosta, in company with another burrowing animal, the 
cuye:— 
“There is likewise a small beast very common, which they call 
cuyes, and which the Indians hold for a very good meate, and they are 
accustomed to offer these cuyes in their sacrifices. They are like 
small conies, and have their burrowes in the ground, and in some 
places they have undermined all the land: some are grey, some white. 
