. Cuvier's animal kingdom : arranged according to its organization. Animals. RODENTIA. 121. One species only is well determined, the Chin- chilla of the furriers {Ch. htnigera, Ben.), cele- brated for the delicate fineness of its fur. It inhabits the Chilian and Peruvian Andes. Somewhat allied to the foregoing, is an- other small group of South American rodents, with also four rootless molars of equal size above and below, except in one instance ^= (y^ôrocoma"), where the inferior resemblethose of an Arvicola; they are surrounded with enamel, and doubled, or indented deeply, on both sides
. Cuvier's animal kingdom : arranged according to its organization. Animals. RODENTIA. 121. One species only is well determined, the Chin- chilla of the furriers {Ch. htnigera, Ben.), cele- brated for the delicate fineness of its fur. It inhabits the Chilian and Peruvian Andes. Somewhat allied to the foregoing, is an- other small group of South American rodents, with also four rootless molars of equal size above and below, except in one instance ^= (y^ôrocoma"), where the inferior resemblethose of an Arvicola; they are surrounded with enamel, and doubled, or indented deeply, on both sides. The antorbital foramen is very Fig. chinchiu». large. Thcrc are five toes to each foot, ex- cept in Abrocoma, which hns only four anteriorly ; and the general aspect is intermediate to that of the Chinchillas and Rats or Voles : the head, however, is arched. Four subdivisions have been distin- guished. In The Abrocomes {Abrocoma, Waterh.),— The ears are large, the claws very small, and the tail rather long and not tufted. The excessive fineness of their fur probably exceeds that of any other animal. Two species were taken near Valparaiso by Mr. Darwin, A. Cuvieri and A. Bennettii, Waterh. The Octodons {Octodon, Bennett; Dendrobius, Meyer),— Have also large ears, and a long and tufted tail : their inferior molars resemble those of the following. The only known species (O. Cummingii, Ben.), is the Sciurus degus of Molina, D. degus, Meyer. It inhabits Chili, and is often seen traversing the branches of low underwood. The Pœphagomes {Poëphagomys, F. Cuv.),— Have narrow incisors, the auditory conch small, but distinct : claws adapted for burrowing. The only ascertained species (P. ater) inhabits Chili. Finally, The Ctenomyds {Ctenomys, Ben.)— Are distinguished by the great breadth of their incisors, by the smallness of their ears, their rather short tail, and stout claws, well qualified for burrowing. There is a species in Brazil (Ct. braziliensis, Blainv.), an
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