528 . UNGULATA. 



than a few Indians. Tliey love the cold air of the mountains, and retain 

 their health even when covered with ice and snow." " Nothing can be 

 prettier," another traveler says, " than a train of these animals marching 

 one behind the other in the greatest order, following a leader who is 

 adorned with a tastefully decorated halter, a bell, and a little flag on his 

 head. Thus they march along the snowy summits of the Cordilleras, or 

 the sides of the precipices where not even a mule can go. The con- 

 ductor needs no goad or whip to urge them on or guide them. They 

 advance quietly and without a rest." Like the Guanacos, they are 

 curious and keep constantly looking around them, and are equally timid, 

 dispersing at any alarm, when the conductor has an arduous task in col- 

 lecting them. The use of the Llama as a beast of burden is gradually, 

 however, being superseded by that of the ass. 



The flesh of the Llama is a favorite article of diet, and that of the 

 lamb of one 3fear is a great dainty ; the older animals are killed to obtain 

 "jerked " or dried meat. 



The Llama is seen in nearly every Zoological Garden, even in the 

 collection in the Central Park, New York. It appears to be more 

 amiable when kept in the society of its congeners, and soon knows its 

 keeper, but towards strangers it shows itself easily irritated, and if pro- 

 voked, discharges its filthy spittle in his face. It lives and breeds in 

 captivity and requires very little care. 



THE ALPACA. 



The Alpaca or Paco, Auclicnia paco (Plate XXXIX), is smaller than 

 the Llama, very like a sheep, with a long neck, and well-shaped head. 

 The wool is long and very soft, and white or black in color. 



The Alpacas live in large herds, which pasture all the year on the 

 plateaux, and which arc only collected t(j be shorn. There is, perhaps, 

 no more obstinate animal than the Alpaca. When one is separated from 

 the herd, it flings itself on the ground, and neither coaxing nor flogging 

 can make it get up ; it will rather die than stir; the only way to induce it 

 to exert itself is to bring up another herd, and then it condescends to 

 join itself to Ihcm. The wool attains the length of nearly four inches, 

 and has from time beyond the memory of man been spun into garments. 

 The coarser wool is called by the Indians /laimska, the finer Ciniibi ; 

 they make from it table-cloths and other things which are remarkable 



