406 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



Whether the range of this tapir extends to Peru, or formerly 

 did, is uncertain. Tschudi (1844), however, wrote that the 

 presence of this species seems almost certainly to be indicated 

 on the testimony of the natives that a tapir is to be found in 

 the eastern slope of the inner Andes at 7,000-8,000 feet, 

 especially in the Ceja region. No one seems to have verified 

 this supposition, nor is there enough available information on 

 the species at hand to give any idea of its present abundance. 



Order ARTIODACTYLA: Even-toed Ungulates 



This order is represented in South America by two families, 

 the camel group and the deer; these are discussed on page 256. 

 The wild South American camel-like mammals, the guanaco 

 and the two races of the vicuna, are in need of protection from 

 hunters, chiefly natives. Four species of deer, representing 

 three endemic genera, are rare and appear to be decreasing in 

 numbers. 



Family CAMELIDAE: Camels, Llamas 



GUANACO; WILD LLAMA 

 LAMA GLAMA HUANACUS (Molina) 



Camelus huanacus Molina, Saggio Storia Nat. Chile, vol. 1, p. 317, 1782 (probably the 



Chilean Andes). 



SYNONYM: Auchenia llama Water-house, Zool. Voyage Beagle, Mamm., p. 26, 1839. 

 FIGS.: Prichard, 1902a, pi. opp. p. 160; Cutright, 1940, pi. opp. p. 119 (photograph). 



The wild huanaco, or guanaco, is believed to be the original 

 source of the domesticated llamas and alpacas of the Peruvian 

 aborigines, and with the smaller vicuna it is the only living 

 member of the camel family in America. The family seems to 

 have originated in North America, becoming much diversified 

 in middle and late Tertiary times and spreading to the Old 

 World and to South America. It has since completely died out 

 in North America. 



The guanaco has somewhat the slender build and long neck 

 of the camel, but the ears are proportionately long, the tail is 

 short and bushy, there is no "hump," and the coat is soft and 

 woolly. In color the wild species is a dark fawn-brown above, 

 with a blackish face and white under surfaces. It stands about 

 3 feet 7 inches high at the shoulder, and the skull is about 11.5 



