104 The Andes and the Amazon. 



long before Europe. " It seeins most probable (says Dar- 

 win) that the North American elephants, mastodons, horse, 

 and hollow-horned ruminants migrated, on land since sub- 

 merged near Behring's Straits, from Siberia into North 

 America, and thence, on land since submerged in the West 

 Indies, into South America, where for a time they mingled 

 with the forms characteristic of that southern continent, 

 and have since become extinct.* The rise of the Mexican 

 table-land spht up the New World into two well-defined 

 zoological provinces. A few species, as the puma, peccari, 

 and opossum, have crossed the barrier ; but South America 

 is characterized by possessing a family of monkeys, the 

 llama, tapir, many peculiar rodents, and several genera of 

 edentates. 



The tapir, the largest native quadruped, is sometimes 

 found on the mountains, but never descends into the Quito 

 Yalley. A link between the elephant and hog, its true home 

 is in the lowlands. The tapir and peccari (also found on 

 the Andean slopes) are the only indigenous pachyderms in 

 South America, w^hile the llamaf and deer (both abound- 

 ing in the valley) are the only native ruminants; there is 

 not one native hollow-horned ruminant on the continent. 

 The llama is the only native domesticated animal ; indeed. 

 South America never furnished any other animal service- 

 able to man : the horse, ox, hog, and shee2) (two, four, and 



* Journal of Researches^ p. 132. 



t The llama, or "mountain-camel," is a beautiful animal, with long, slender 

 neck and fine legs, a graceful carriage, pointed ears, soft, restless eyes, and 

 quivering lips. It has a gentle disposition ; but when angry it will spit, and 

 when hurt will shed tears. We have seen specimens entirely white ; but it 

 is generally dark brown, with patches of white. It requires very little food 

 and drink. Since the introduction of horses, asses, and mules, the rearing of 

 llamas has decreased. They are more common in Peru. The llama, guana- 

 co, alpaca, and vicuna were " the fom- sheep of the Incas :" the first clothing 

 the common people, the second the nobles, the third the royal governors, the 

 fourth the Incas. The price of sheep's wool in Quito was formerly four cents 

 a pound ; it is now twelve. 



