Collared Peccary 379 



Bolivia. It has been said to resemble the Alpine chamois in its habits, 

 but since, on account of the softness of its feet, it avoids bare rocky crests, 

 and, above all, glaciers and snow-fields, resorting in preference to grassy- 

 patches, the comparison scarcely seems a true one. During the rainy 

 months vicugna ascend as high as possible up the mountains, descending 

 to the higher valleys at the commencement of the dry season. Their 

 habits appear to be essentially similar to those of their larger relative the 

 guanaco, and therefore need no special mention. The fawns, of which 

 there is but one at a birth, are dropped in Februarv, and are almost 

 immediately able to follow the herd. Large numbers of vicugnas are 

 captured by Indians, who drive them into enclosures made with stakes and 

 ropes. 



THE COLLARED PECCARY 



[Dicoiyles tajacii) 

 (Plate VIII. Fig. 3) 



As the camels of the Old World are represented in South America 

 by the llamas, so the place of the pigs of Europe, Asia, and Africa 

 is occupied in the New World by the very distinct hog- like creatures 

 known as peccaries. Whereas, however, the llamas are exclusively South 

 American at the present day, the peccaries range northwards into the 

 United States as far as Arizona, Texas, and the Red River of Arkansas. 

 Southward their range appears to be limited by the Rio Negro in 

 Patagonia. The native name of the present species in the Tupi language 

 is Tajacutiragua, but by the Brazilians it is called Oueixada or Oueixo, 

 while among the Guarani Indians of Rio Grande do Sul it is known as 

 Tagnicati. 



Although presenting a considerable superficial resemblance to a small 



