LLAMAS. 387 



supply of nutriment : the humps become reduced in size ; their substance, reabsorbed, is 

 taken into the general circulation, and supports him to the end of his journey, or till he 

 sinks under privations which no other animal differently constituted could have borne 

 for half the period. To the wild Arab of the desert the camel is all that his necessi- 

 ties require ; he feeds on the flesh, drinks the milk, makes clothes and tents of the hair, 

 sandals, saddles, and buckets of the hide ; he conveys himself and family on his back ; 

 makes a pillow of his side, and resorts to him for shelter against the whirlwind of sand. 

 Couched in a circle around him, his camels form a fence, and in battle an entrench- 

 ment, behind which his family and his property are obstinately, and often successfully, 

 defended. 



The Llamas (Auclienia] * are the representatives of the camels in the 

 New World, but possess neither their strength nor size. Their proportions 

 are lighter ; they have no humps ; and their toes, not being joined, are suf- 

 ficiently moveable to enable them to climb rocks with the activity of goats. 

 Two species are known the Llama proper and the Vicuuia. 



The Llama (Auchenia Llaoma) is met with in the mountainous districts of South 

 America. It is of the size of a stag, and covered with thick fur of a chestnut colour. 

 At the time of the conquest of Peru by the Spaniards, it was the only beast of burden 

 in that country, and still continues to be employed for the same purpose. Its usual 

 load is about one hundred and fifty pounds ; but it is only capable of making short 

 journeys. 





The Alpaca, or Paco, is a variety of the domesticated llama, celebrated for 

 its long woolly hair, which in fineness and elasticity is not much inferior to the most 

 beautiful wool of the goats of Thibet. 



The Vicunia (Camelus Vicunna) is about the size of a sheep, covered with yellow- 

 brown wool of admirable fineness and softness, which hangs like long silk upon its 



* a.vxfy, auchen, the throat: so called irom their pendulous throats. 



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