THE VICUGNA. 



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the world. It is not so enduring an animal as the Arabian species, requiring a fresh 

 supply of liquid every three days ; while the Arabian Camel can exist without water 

 for five or even six days. It is employed by the Persians in a rather curious military 

 capacity ; its saddle being furnished with one or two swivel guns, which are managed 

 by the rider. The corps is called the Camel Artillery, and is of considerable value in 

 the peculiar mode of fighting which is prevalent in the East. 



The height of the Bactrian Camel is rather more than that of the Arabian species, 

 and its color is generally brown, which sometimes deepens into sooty black, and some- 

 times fades into a dirty white. 



THE true camels are exclusively confined to the Old World, but find representatives 

 in the New World in four acknowledged species of the genus Llama. 



These animals are comparatively small in their dimensions, and possess no hump, so 

 that they may easily be distinguished from the camels. Their hair is very woolly, and 

 their countenance has a very sheep-like expression, so that a full-haired Llama instantly 



ALPACA LLAMA. Llama Pacos. 



reminds the spectator of a long-legged, long-necked sheep. The feet of the Llamas are 

 very different from those of the camels, as their haunts are always found to be upon 

 rocky ground, and their feet must of necessity be accommodated to the ground on which 

 they are accustomed to tread. The toes of the Llama are completely divided, and are 

 each furnished with a rough cushion beneath, and a strong, claw-like hoof above, so that 

 the member may take a firm hold of rocky and uneven ground. 



Four species of Llamas are now acknowledged ; namely, the Vicugna, the Guanaco, 

 the Yamma, and the Alpaca, each of which will be briefly described. 



The VICUGNA is found in the most elevated localities of Batavia and Northern Chili, 

 and is a very wild and untamable animal, having resisted all the attempts of the patient 

 natives to reduce it to a state of domestication. It is extremely active and sure-footed in 

 its mountain home, and being equally timid and wary, is seldom captured in a living state. 

 It lives in herds near the region of perpetual snow, and in its habits bears some resemblance 

 to the chamois. The short, soft, silken fur of this animal is very valuable, and causes 



