156 8HEEP OF THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTH AMERICA. 



and I think that the wool of the alpaca lamb here is superior 

 in fineness even to that of the vicuna. I have never, even 

 after a whole day's rain, found them wet to the skin ; for 

 their wool, on becoming wet on the outside or surface, mats 

 together, and becomes quite impervious to the heaviest 

 showers. I certainly do not exaggerate when I say that 

 each of the old alpacas here would clip at this time upward 

 of thirty pounds of wool. 



" The alpacas are exceedingly playful, and, to see them 

 to full perfection, a dog should be taken into the field beside 

 them ; and as they run at play with the dog, their fine and 

 noble positions are displayed to most advantage. From 

 what I have observed of the nature and habits of the alpaca, 

 I do most heartily confirm your statement, ' That they would 

 live where a sheep would starve,' and would be most valua- 

 ble as a breeding stock in the United Kingdom. They are 

 peculiarly well adapted to mountainous districts, however 

 coarse the herbage, if the ground be dry ; although, at the 

 same time, I will say that the alpaca is as fond of a bite of 

 good sweet grass as any animal I know of." 



There are at present about one hundred of these animals 

 in Great Britain, and efiforts are making by an association to 

 introduce more of them. In addition to the foregoing, it has 

 been stated by Mr. Walton, a member of this association, 

 " that the alpaca breed in the third year, the period of ges- 

 tation is seven months, have one at a birth, attain the height 

 of 3i or 4 feet, and usually live ten or twelve years. In 

 Peru, they are generally shorn every third year, about 

 April, when the wool is about eight inches long ; it usually 

 grows three inches in a year, but if shorn yearly grows six 

 or eight inches. A male alpaca shorn three years ago had 

 a coat from eighteen to twenty inches long ; and instances 

 are known of alpaca wool attaining the extraordinary length 

 of thirty inches." 



Considerable quantities of alpaca wool are imported into 

 England, where much of it is spun, taken to France, and 

 made into the finest Cashmere shawls. If the ex])eriment is 

 successful of propagating the alpaca in England, it surely 

 can be done in the United States, as the climate is doubt- 

 less iTfore congenial to it, as well as the herbage. When 

 American enterprise calls for its covering, the trial will un- 

 questionably be made. 



