272 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



between ten and twenty heads. . . . The animals in most cases must have crawled, before 

 dying, beneath and amongst the bushes." 



The Llama 



This is the first of the two domesticated offshoots of the guanaco, the other being the 

 Alpaca. The LLAMA is a larger beast than the guanaco, and variable in colour. The ancient 

 Peruvians bred it as a beast of burden or for riding, and before the Spanish conquest kept 

 it in enormous numbers. Soon after the Spanish conquest " it was not uncommon to meet 

 droves of from 300 to 500, or even 1,000 llamas, each laden with silver ingots, and the 

 whole in charge of a single native. . . . Only the male llamas were used as beasts of 

 burden, while the smaller females were kept for their milk and flesh. In traveling along 

 the roads, the droves marched in single file, under the guidance of a leader; and such a line 

 would traverse the highest passes of the Cordillera, and skirt the most stupendous precipices 

 with perfect safety. . . . The Spanish conquerors of Peru spoke of llama-flesh as being fully 

 equal to the best mutton, and the)' established shops in the towns for its regular sale. At 

 the time of the conquest it is estimated that upwards of 300,000 llamas were employed in 

 the transport of the product of the mines of Potosi alone." 



Tut: Alpaca 



This animal is bred solely for the sake of its wool, which is of great length and fineness. 

 From it is made the well-known fabric which bears, in consequence, the name " alpaca." 



The alpaca is kept in herds on the high grounds of Bolivia and South Peru, whence 

 it is annually driven down to 'be sheared. The Incas dyed the wool — which is of two 

 qualities, a fine and a coarse — with bright colours, and made it up into cloth or blankets, as 

 the occasion served. 



The earliest account of this animal is by Augustin de Zarate, the Treasurer-General of 

 Peru in 1544. He speaks of the beast as a sheep; but since he describes it as camel-like in 

 shape, though devoid of a hump, there can be no doubt that it is the llama he is describing. 



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■;*? -■ L~*. ■ - , 



LLAMAS 



Largely used at beasts of burden in Peru, ivherc these and the alpaca were formerly the only domesticated ruminants 



