KAtURAL HISTORY. 



493 



Camel, except in the ears, which 

 are erect and smooth like those of 

 a kanguroo. The neck, body, and 

 limbs are similarly disposed ; and 

 the body, like it, is covered with 

 a fawn-coloured, silky wool, but 

 of extreme tineuess. From it may 

 be made stuffs as soft and fine as 

 the shawls of Casimire. This tufted 

 fleece keeps the animal so warm, 

 that it seeks and prefers for its 

 habitation the summits of moun- 

 tains covered with snow, if the 

 ears of this animal were uniformly 

 cut, it would exactly resemble a 

 camel two or three months old. 



The vicuna has the same cries 

 as the camel, the same gait, and 

 nearly the same disposition. It is 

 extremely shy and timid. It utters 

 plaintive cries at the least unplea- 

 sant sensations ; and when too 

 much alarmed, its eyes are filled 

 with tears. The very active move- 

 ment of its tail and ears indicate 

 its different sensations. It is very 

 gentle and caressing when tamed. 



The resemblance the vicuna 

 bears to the camel in its external 

 figure, internal structure, and qua- 

 lities, would lead me to call it 

 camelus parvus auribus rectis, the 

 little camel with erect ears. 



The owner of the animal gave 

 me the following account of the 

 Peruvian niodeof hunting it: 



The vicunas commonly inhabit 

 the frozen summits of the high 

 mountains of the Cordilleras. Se- 

 veral of the inhabitants assemble 

 together to hunt them. They first 

 surround the mountain wheie they 

 are most numerous; and by means 

 of mournful cries, or the discordant 

 sound of large wind instruments, 

 as hunting horns, they terrify the 

 nnimals, who take flight to the 



summit of the mountain, where 

 no doubt they suppose themselves 

 inaccessible. Here the hunters form 

 a line of circumvallation with 

 stakes, on which are small red 

 flags. These stakes are connected 

 with each other by cords placed 

 pretty close. Two or three hunters 

 then attack the herd, which dis- 

 perses. Frequently some of the vi- 

 cunas are surprised, and the rest 

 rush down the mountain ; but as 

 soon as they reach the fence, in- 

 stead of leaping over it, which 

 they might easily do, terrified at 

 the colour of the flags, they crouch 

 down in the snow, or in holes, 

 where hunters posted for the pur- 

 pose easily take them. After ty- 

 ing their legs, they carry them to 

 a convenient place, to sheer their 

 fleeces. If the animals be old, they 

 let them loose : if young, they 

 take them to their huts, keep them, 

 and train them to carry burdens, 

 loading them in the same manner 

 as camels. They cannot live in 

 the burning plains of America, and 

 accordingly the inhabitants of the 

 mountains alone can keep them. 

 This no doubt is the reason why 

 the animal has been hitherto so 

 little known. 



When the animal is young-, its 

 flesh is good eating ; but the wool 

 is justly in high estimation. The 

 merchant assured me, that it was 

 seldom sent to Europe pure, being 

 almost always mixed with other 

 wool of less value. 



I think with him, that it might 

 be naturalized and breed in the 

 Pyrennees, on the summit of 

 which the snow scarcely ever 

 thaws ; particularly as the pasture 

 there is excellent. 



On 



