286 Dr Hamilton's Observations on the Llama, 



vegetation is hardly sufficient to afford them a scanty subsist- 

 ence. I never saw either a guanaco or a vicuna on the plain of 

 Oruro, which is above 100 miles long, and about 12,000 feet 

 above the sea ; nor have I observed them on any part of the 

 table-land of Bolivia. They were seen chiefly on the journey 

 across what is called the Cordillera of the coast, which, tra- 

 velling from Tacna or Arica to Potosi via Oruro, with cargo 

 mules, requires 6 or 7 days before descending to the table- 

 land, on which numerous flocks of llamas, alpacas, and sheep, 

 are seen ; but in the dismal region of the Cordillera the vicuna 

 is found enjoying its freedom, and frequently indulging in its 

 peculiar cry or rather whistle. It would seem to be ever on 

 the watch against danger, for, when on the rout to Potosi, it 

 sometimes happened, that on turning the shoulder of a moun- 

 tain, or entering a ravine, I have seen a vicuna peep round 

 a rock, or view us from an eminence, then immediately its 

 whistle, not unlike that of the boatswain's, was heard, and a 

 troop of vicunas might be seen bounding in the distance, 

 setting at defiance pursuit. 



It may be noticed, that the haunts of the vicuna appear to 

 be confined to the more elevated regions of Peru only, for 

 though in the higher lauds towards the Equator, about Quito, 

 we meet with the llama and alpaca, the vicuna is not found 

 so far north, neither is it met with to the south beyond the 

 tropic of Capricorn. It should also be noticed, that the same 

 sort of food is used by all these species, and that which is most 

 relished by them is called by the Indians Ichu, and grows to 

 the height of several feet ; it is a gramineous plant, and is 

 called Jarava in the Flora Peruana. 



No satisfactory reason has been given for the circumstance 

 of vicunas being seen only within these latitudes. They are 

 found on the elevated parts of the province of Santa Cruz de 

 la Sierra, in the interior of Bolivia, near the junction of that 

 state with Brazil ; b'lt they are not seen in the equatorial re- 

 gions of the Andes, nor in Chili, nor farther south. It is pos- 

 sible that the greater altitude of the Punas of Peru, or Bo- 

 livia, where the atmosphere is drier and its pressure less, may 

 be more congenial to the nature of this interesting animal 



