Chinchilla

a small rodent reminding one of the field mouse, the chipmunk, and the coney. It is about ten inches in length, with half as much to be added for its tail. It lives in colonies in the Andean region. It is clothed with beautiful, pearly gray fur, greatly in demand for muffs, linings, ladies' capes, and the like. The chinchilla is trapped for its fur by the Indians who sell to the traders in the towns. The high prices prevailing have led to a marked diminution in the numbers of this inoffensive animal. In 1905 1,461,200 chinchilla skins were exported at $29.90 per dozen; in 1908 the number fell to 38,000 skins, though the price had risen to an average of $43.85 per dozen.