350 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1924 



THE LLAMA 



The llama is a curious animal that always attracts the attention 

 of visitoi-s. It is native to the uplands of the central Andes and 

 was domesticated by the early inhabitants and is still used by the 

 Indians extensively as a beast of "burden. The long erect neck and 

 graceful carriage give the animal a very stately appearance. As 

 a carrier its efficiency is low as its load can not usually be more 

 than about 75 pounds and it can not go more than 10 or 15 miles 

 a day. For these reasons the white man has little use for it, pre- 

 ferring mules or burros. The reason for its slow speed is the fact 

 that it is a cud-chewing animal and, needing the night for rest, 

 it feeds during the day as it travels. No forage or grain is given, 

 but it depends on the native grasses. The llama fits in very well 

 with the agricultural economy of the natives. They cost nothing 

 to support, as they graze at large and the Indian has plenty of 

 time. They can not be used for riding animals, and when in use 

 they are allowed to travel in droves freely without halters or ropes. 

 They are rarely brought down to altitudes lower than 4,000 feet, 

 and are at home particularly in the central plateaus of Bolivia 

 and Peru, the range extending into southera Ecuador. Allied to 

 the llama is a smaller animal, the alpaca, used for flesh and wool 

 but not for bearing burdens. The vicuna, still smaller, is a grace- 

 ful little thing like a small deer but allied to the alpaca. This 

 animal is becoming rare and is under government protection to 

 prevent its extermination by the Indians who use it for food. 



BOTANICAL RESULTS 



The botanical results of the trip to the central Andes are of 

 importance. A large collection of grasses was made, which will 

 be the basis of an account of the grasses of the three countries 

 visited. Comparatively few botanists have traveled in this region. 

 Among the early travelers may be mentioned Humboldt and Bon- 

 pland, who came from the north down through Ecuador to northern 

 Peru, and Haenke, of the Malaspina expedition, who collected in 

 central Peru. The Wilkes expedition stopped at Lima, but their 

 collection of grasses was unimportant. Spruce, the English natur- 

 alist who spent several years in the Amazon Valley, came into 

 Ecuador, and Jameson, an Englishman resident in Ecuador, sent 

 many grasses to England. The late Prof. Luis Sodiro, of Quito, 

 sent many plants to Europe and described some himself. Padre 

 Luis Mille, of Quito, now has the care of Sodiro's herbarium. 

 Father Mille very kindly allowed me to examine this herbarium, 

 which contains the types of species described by Sodiro. Father 



