SOUTH AMERICA 409 



and meat. In the report of the world's fur production for 1928 

 (Journ. Soc. Preserv. Fauna Empire, pt. 12, p. 64, 1930) the 

 number of guanaco skins brought to market is given as 300,000. 

 While at present it can hardly be said that the species is in 

 danger of extermination, nevertheless the demand for hides 

 to be used as robes, and the encroachment of grazing and 

 hunting, will doubtless much restrict its area and its numbers 

 in years to come. 



SOUTHERN VICUNA 

 VICUGNA VICUGNA VICUGNA (Molina) 



Camelus vicugna Molina, Saggio Storia Nat. Chile, vol. 1, p. 313, 1782 ("Probably 

 Peru" Lydekker; but Molina says in the Cordillera of the provinces Coquimbo 

 and Copiapo). 



PERUVIAN VICUNA 

 VICUGNA VICUGNA MENSALIS (Thomas) 



Lama vicugna mensalis Thomas, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 68, no. 4, p. 3, Apr. 10, 



1917 ("Incapirra, Junin, Peru"). 

 FIGS.: Tschudi, 1844, pi. 17 (col.); Royal Nat. Hist., vol. 2, p. 412, fig., 1894. 



The vicuna resembles the guanaco in general form but is 

 about a fourth smaller, somewhat slenderer, and paler in color, 

 a pale fawn, without black on the face. The fore limbs have 

 no callosities such as are present on the inner side of the 

 "knees" of the guanaco. Although formerly placed in the 

 same genus with the latter, Miller (1924c) regards it worthy of 

 generic distinction, since the lower incisors are peculiar in 

 being long, slender, and ever-growing from persistent pulps, 

 like those of rodents, but with the enamel on the inner side. 

 This condition is unique among living artiodactyls but recalls 

 that of the dwarf wild goat (Myotragus) , the remains of which 

 are found in Pleistocene cavern deposits of the Balearic Islands. 

 Osgood (1916) gives the following measurements of a Peruvian 

 specimen: Length from between ears to root of tail, 1,250 mm.; 

 base of ear to point of shoulder, 670. The height at the shoul- 

 der, according to Lydekker, is about 2 feet 9 inches; Tschudi 

 (1844) gives 2 feet 6 inches. Length of skull, about 220 mm. 



Although Lydekker says that the "typical locality is prob- 

 ably Peru," Molina's account, on which the name is based, 

 states that they are found in the parts of the Cordillera belong- 

 ing to the provinces Coquimbo and Copiapo, but keep to the 

 steep summits of the mountains, minding neither snow nor ice. 



