1847.] J\"otes on jYatural History. 251 



The most characteristic animal frequenting these plains is the Gu- 

 anaco, [Camelus llama) or American camel, from its general resem- 

 blance to that well known beast of burden in the East. It has no 

 hump, and is in every respect a singularly beautiful and graceful 

 creature, with long slender neck and legs, and clothed all over 

 with a dense mass of chesnut colored hair. They are frequently 

 to be met with traversing the plain in herds of from ten to thirty, 

 and sometimes more, moving along in regular lines, confining 

 themselves to well beaten tracks from Avhich they rarely diverge. 

 When approached, they utter a shrill neighing note of alarm, and 

 in a short time trot rapidly away in a direction towards the near- 

 est hills. In some instances however they exhibited a consider- 

 able degree of curiosity, particularly when taken by surprise. 

 The natives appear to be well acquainted with this peculiarity of 

 habit, for they not unfrequently take advantage of it by throwing 

 themselves upon the ground and performing numerous strange 

 antics, in order to entice them within the influence of their weap- 

 ons. In this manner great numbers of them are annually slain, 

 not only for the purposes of food, but also for the construction of 

 mantles from their skins. These animals have particular spots 

 selected for depositing their excrement, which places are much 

 resorted to by the Indians for the purpose of collecting the sub- 

 stance for fuel. It proves an excellent substitute for wood, which 

 can rarely be obtained in sufficient quantity on these plains. 

 They likewise are possessed of a singular habit of resorting to 

 some favorite situation on the approach of death, to lay themselves 

 down and die. This is generally among the light brushwood in 

 the neighborhood of some running stream. Several of these re- 

 ceptacles for the dead have been discovered, profusely strewed 

 with bones, and in no instance have the marks of teeth been vis- 

 ible, to denote their destiuction by wandering beasts of prey. 

 This animal has an extensive geographical range inhabiting the 

 entire temperate region of South America, as far as the straits 

 of Magellan. At the period of the conquest, it was the only 

 beast of burden the Peruvians possessed, carrying from one 

 hundred to a hundred and fifty pounds at a load, and this for short 

 distances only. 



Wherever this plain supports a growth of grass, which is gen- 

 erally of a coarse, brown, wiry nature, the common deer of the 

 country {Cervus campestris) may not unfrequently be seen, quietly 

 grazing in herds consisting of from a few in number, up to a hun- 

 dred or more, and when their position is to windward of the spec- 

 tator, the exceedingly nauseous and disagreeable odour emitted 

 by the buck, taints the surrounding atmosphere in such a manner 

 as to render it distinctly sensible for some miles distant. When 

 a person is mounted they are diflScult to approach, but when 



