LAMA -1'A COS. lift 



ftp those of the species just offered to your contempla- 

 tion, has obtained the appellation of the camel of the 

 new world ; and in regard to its utility, making al- 

 lowances for its inferiority in size and strength, is 

 little less valuable than that of the old continent. 



THE LAMA, 



Of Peru and Chili, resembles in its shape the Ara- 

 bian camel, but is destitute of the dorsal hunch : its 

 height is from three to four feet : its neck is long, its 

 head small, and its colour white, black, 6r russet, or 

 a mixture of all these dispersed in spots. The female 

 produces, only one at a birth. The duration of the 

 life of this animal is about twelve years, and its dis- 

 position is gentle, patient, and tractable. 



The lama was the only beast of burden which Ame- 

 rica originally produced ; and notwithstanding the 

 introduction of .mules, is still used for the conveyance 

 of merchandise. Bolivcr says, that, in fiis time, three 

 hundred thousand of these animals were employed in 

 carrying the silver ore, dug out of the mines of Potosi, 

 over the rugged hills and narrow paths of the Andes. 

 They are exceedingly sure-footed, and with a load of 

 about an hundred weight will climb the most craggy 

 rocks, and descend the steepest precipices. In their 

 jj.curnics they will sometimes walk four or five -clary s 

 successively, before they seem desirous of repose ; 

 and they then rest spontaneously twenty or thirty 

 hours, before they resume their toiL Sometimes, 

 when they are inclined to rest a few minutes only, 

 they bend their knees, and lower their bodies with 

 great care, to prevent their load from falling off, or 

 being deranged: when, however, they hear their 

 conductor's whittle, they rise with equal precaution, 

 and proceed on their journey. In going along in 

 the day, they brouze wherever they find herbage, 

 and generally spend the night in chewing the cud. 



THE PA COS 



Is a native of the same countries as the larna, and 

 seems to be only a variety of the same species, al- 

 though a much smaller breed. Its body is covered 

 with very fifle long wool, of a dull purple colour, re- 



