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CHINCHILLA , a small See also:grey hopping rodent mammal (Chinchilla lanigera), of the approximate See also:size of a See also:squirrel, inhabiting the eastern slopes of the See also:Andes in See also:Chile and See also:Bolivia, at altitudes between 8000 and 12,000 ft. It typifies not only the genus Chinchilla, but the See also:family Chinchillidae, for the distinctive features of which see See also:RODENTIA. The See also:ordinary chinchilla is about so in. in length, exclusive of the See also:long tail, and in the See also:form of its See also:head somewhat resembles a See also:rabbit. It is covered with a dense soft furs in. long on the back and upwards of an See also:inch in length on the sides, of a delicate See also:French grey See also:colour, darkly mottled on the upper See also:surface and dusky See also:- WHITE
- WHITE, ANDREW DICKSON (1832– )
- WHITE, GILBERT (1720–1793)
- WHITE, HENRY KIRKE (1785-1806)
- WHITE, HUGH LAWSON (1773-1840)
- WHITE, JOSEPH BLANCO (1775-1841)
- WHITE, RICHARD GRANT (1822-1885)
- WHITE, ROBERT (1645-1704)
- WHITE, SIR GEORGE STUART (1835– )
- WHITE, SIR THOMAS (1492-1567)
- WHITE, SIR WILLIAM ARTHUR (1824--1891)
- WHITE, SIR WILLIAM HENRY (1845– )
- WHITE, THOMAS (1628-1698)
- WHITE, THOMAS (c. 1550-1624)
white beneath; the ears being long, broad and thinly covered with See also:hair. Chinchillas live in burrows, and these subterranean dwellings undermine the ground in some parts of the Chilean Andes to such an extent as to cause danger to travellers on horseback. They See also:associate in communities, forming their burrows among loose rocks, and coming out to feed in the See also:early See also:morning and towards sunset. They feed chiefly on roots and See also:grasses, in See also:search of which they often travel considerable distances; and when eating they sit on their haunches, holding their See also:food in their fore-paws. The See also:Indians in See also:hunting them employ the See also:grison (Galictis vittata), a member of the See also:weasel family, which is trained to enter the crevices of the rocks where the chinchillas See also:lie concealed during the See also:day. The See also:fur (q.v.) of this rodent was prized by the See also:ancient Peruvians, who made coverlets and other articles with the skin, and at the See also:present day the skins are exported in large See also:numbers to See also:Europe, where they are made into muffs, tippets and trimmings. That chinchillas have not under such circumstances become rare, if not See also:extinct, is owing to their extraordinary fecundity, the See also:female usually producing five or six See also:young twice a See also:year. They are docile in disposition, and thus well fitted for domestication. The Peruvian chinchilla (C. brevicaudata) is larger, with relatively shorter ears and tail; while still larger See also:species constitute the genus Lagidium, ranging from the Andes to See also:Patagonia, and distinguished by having four in See also:place of five front-toes, more pointed ears, and a somewhat differently formed See also:skull. (See also See also:VISCACHA). (R.
End of Article: CHINCHILLA
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