410 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



Whether or not the vicuna did occur in Molina's day, 1782, as 

 far south as the Cordillera of Coquimbo, in Chile, it apparently 

 no longer does so, but one may regard the type locality as the 

 latter region on Molina's authority. Northward the range 

 extends to northern and central Bolivia, Peru at high altitudes, 

 and southern Ecuador. Thomas has named, as a distinct race, 

 mensalis, the northern animal, basing his description on speci- 

 mens from Incapirra, Junin, Peru. The characters claimed are 

 the more strongly fulvous color and slightly smaller size and 

 smaller teeth, as compared with true V. vicugna, the type 

 locality and size of which are not indicated. The range of this 

 race is given as "Peru and Bolivia" and is assumed to include 

 also southern Ecuador at high altitudes. This would leave 

 typical V. vicugna as the form of Chile, where it is possibly now 

 extinct. The two races may be considered together. An adult 

 male measured from "between ears to root of tail," 1,250 mm.; 

 base of ear to point of shoulder, 670, or more than in the guana- 

 co. The skull of the type of mensalis, a male, had a greatest 

 length of 240 mm.; length of molars, 45. 



The vicuna is apparently at the present time gone from 

 Chile, but the British Museum has a mounted skin from Cata- 

 marca, northwestern Argentina. In Bolivia it is found hi a 

 restricted area in the north-central part. In Peru, its chief 

 centers of abundance are said by Maccagno (1932) in his 

 recent monograph to be: Junin, Huanta, Ayacucho, Puno, 

 Cuzco, Apurimac, Huancavelica, and Arequipa. 



These animals live on the vast plains at altitudes between 

 11,500 and 18,500 feet in Peru, going in small droves of 10 to 

 15 females and an adult male. In general they are said to be 

 easily tamed, and often one or two may be seen about ranch 

 houses, but in confinement they do not breed readily. On the 

 other hand, if allowed practical liberty under fence with 

 sufficient area, they are said to breed freely and may be caught 

 and sheared for their wool, which is much sought for its fine 

 quality. 



In Peru the vicuna was accorded legal protection as long 

 ago as 1825, but the law apparently remained a dead letter 

 until the animals had become much reduced through hunting. 

 Finally, on October 8, 1920, a decree was passed prohibiting 

 the making of goods from vicuna wool and forbidding the sale 

 of skins. A heavy fine was provided for infractions. As a 



