378 THE LAMA. 



These animals begin to engender at three years 

 of age, and they ordinarily live from forty to fifty 

 years v The genital part of the male resembles that 

 of the bull, but is placed pointing backwards, so 

 that its urine seems to be ejected in the manner of 

 the female. This, as well as the dung, and almost 

 every part of this animal, is converted to some 

 useful purpose by the keepers. Of the urine, 

 sal ammoniac is made ; of the dung, litter for the 

 horses, and fire for the purpose of dressing their 

 victuals. Thus, this animal alone seems to com- 

 prise within itself a variety of qualities, any one 

 of which serves to render other quadrupeds ab- 

 solutely necessary for the welfare of man : like 

 the elephant, it is manageable and tame ; like 

 the horse, it gives the rider security; it carries 

 greater burdens than the ox or the mule; and 

 its milk is furnished in as great abundance as that 

 of the cow : the flesh of the young ones is sup- 

 posed to be as delicate as veal ; their hair is more 

 beautiful, and more in request than wool ; while 

 even of its very excrements no part is useless. 



CHAPTER XV. 



THE LAMA. 



As almost all the quadrupeds of America are 

 smaller than the resembling ones of the ancient 

 continent, so the Lama, which may be considered 



