28 Domesticated Animals. 



Llama and P^'^'^ious to the conquest of South America by the 

 . , Spaniards, the Lhima and Alpaca, which are descended 



^ * from the Wild Guanaco {Lama huanacus) of Patagonia, 

 were the only larf?e domesticated animals on that continent, and 

 were fully as important to the Peruvians as is the Reindeer to the 

 modern Lapps. Not only did they perform all the carrying work of 

 the country, but they furnished food and wool. The Llama is the 

 larger of the two breeds, and is variable in colour, although generally 

 white, or white blotched with black or brown, the hair being com- 

 paratively short. The males were alone employed to carry burdens ; 

 the females supplying milk and flesh. The Alpaca is a smaller and 

 much longer-haired animal, which was bred solely for the sake of its 

 wool. The usual colour is very dark brown or black ; and in many 

 examples the hair of the body is so long as almost to touch the 

 ground. The number of Llamas employed by the ancient Peravians 

 to transport the produce of the Potosi Mines has been estimated at 

 300,000. The flesh is said to rival the best mutton in quality. 

 Llamas, inclusive of the Guanaco, are the South American repre- 

 sentatives of the Camels of the Old World, although they have no 

 humps. Before they were introduced by Europeans, South America 

 had no Cattle, Sheep or Goats. Specimens of the Llama are shown 

 in the North Hall. 



f f H ^^"''"^ ^^^^ stmcture of the frontal region of the 

 Uomesticaiea ^^^^^^ -^ -^ ^^Klmt that Domesticated Dogs {Canis 



o * familiaris) are derived from wild species related 



to the Wolf {Canis lupus), the North American Coyote {C. latrans), 

 and the Jackal {C. aureus), and have no near kinship to the Fox 

 ( Vulpes alopex). The skulls of the Coyote and Fox exhibited in the 

 table-case of skulls show, for instance, that in the former the 

 postorbittil process of the frontal bone (X) is convex, as in 

 Domesticated Dogs, whereas in the latter it is concave. Whether 

 Domesticated Dogs are derived from Wolves and Jackals, or from 

 one or more extinct species, is uncertain. From tbe superficial 

 formations of Russia have been obtained the remains of a Dog 

 {Canis pontiatini) which, it is suggested, may have been the ancestor 

 of Sheep-dogs and Hounds, and, by crossing with the Wolf, of 

 Mastiffs and Deerhounds. It has, however, to be determined 

 whether this fossil species, which appears to have been nearly 

 related to the Australian Dingo, was really wild. Terriers, Pome- 

 ranians, etc., have been regarded as descendants of Canis familiaris 

 palustris, of the Bronze period, the latter being a derivative from 



