THE VICUNA. . 27 



pieces, and set up again ten or twelve miles further oflf. The 

 whole chase lasts a week, and the number of the animals 

 slaughtered frequently amounts to several hundreds. 



In the times of the Incas, the Puna chases were conducted 

 on a much grander scale. Annually from 25,000 to 30,000 

 Indians assembled, who were obliged to drive all the wild 

 animals from a circuit of more than a hundred miles into an 

 enormous chacu. As the circle narrowed, the ranks of the 

 Indians were doubled and trebled, so that no animal could 

 escape. The pernicious quadrupeds, such as bears, cuguars, 

 and foxes, were all killed, but only a limited number of stags, 

 deer, vicuiias, and huanacus ; for the provident Incas did not 

 lose sight of the wants of futurity, and were more economical 

 of the lives of animals than their brutal successors, the Chris- 

 tian Spaniards, were of the lives of men. 



In spite of the persecutions to which they are subject, not 

 only from hunters but from the ravenous condor, who frequently 

 robs them of their young, the vicuiias do not seem to diminish, 

 and are often seen roaming about in large numbers — the in- 

 accessible wilds to which they are able to retreat amply se- 

 curing them against extermination. 



Besides these four remarkable Camelides, we iind among the 

 animals peculiar to the Puna the stag-like Tarush (Cervus 

 antisiensis) ; the timid deer, who also descends from the high 

 mountain-plains into the coast-valleys and the forest region ; 

 the Viscachas and the Chinchillas. The Peruvian Viscachas 

 (Lagidium peruanum and pallipes), live at an elevation 

 of from 10,000 to 12,000 feet, between 33° and 18° S. 

 lat., and resemble the rabbit in form and colour, but have 

 shorter ears and a long rough tail. Their far is soft, but 

 not nearly so fine as that of the near- 

 related Chinchilla {Chinchilla lanigera). 

 This little creature, which is somewhat 

 larger than our squirrel, has large and 

 brilliant eyes, an erect tail, strong 

 CHINCHILLA. brlstles on the upper lip, and almost 



naked, rounded ears. It lives in bur- 

 rows, feeding chiefly upon roots, and is found in such numbers 

 in the Chilian Andes that its holes considerably increase the 

 difficulty of travelling. The fur is too well known to require 



