456 THE LLAMA AND ALPACA. 



The llama is the largest, strongest, and stoutest species, and 

 anciently was the most valuable beast of burden the Peruvians 

 possessed. Its ordinary height is from four to four feet and a 

 half, sometimes five feet. It is generally light-brown, but some- 

 times dun, grey, or even inclining to purple, and very seldom 

 black or parti-coloured j under the belly it is uniformly white. 

 The hair is long, of a texture between silk and wool, but not 

 curled. The alpaca is less than the llama, its ordinary height 

 being four feet. It appears twice as corpulent, owing to its 

 possessing a much longer and more profuse clothing of hair, 

 which is sometimes from eight to twelve inches in length on 

 the sides, rump, and breast. It partakes of more colours, is 

 often parti-coloured, and more frequently white than the three 

 other species* 



The Peruvians are careful not to over- load either of these 

 animals, whose burden is generally one hundred pounds weight, 

 though for a short distance on good roads they occasionally 

 carry twelve or fifteen pounds more. They are usually gentle and 

 willing. If provoked they express their anger by turning back 

 their ears and spitting into the face of their offender, even if he 

 be four yards off. Their food is never prepared for them, but 

 when unemployed, they are suffered to graze on their native 

 mountains, often pasturing in the company of the wild species, 

 but they are so much accustomed and apparently attached to 

 mankind, that they never exchange servitude for freedom. 

 They very seldom drink for weeks or even months together, 

 and then only a little, being mostly satisfied with the moisture 

 they express from their green food. 



The female llama, and alpaca, go with young six months, and 

 rarely produce more than one at a birth. It is weaned when 

 half a year old, but not put to work until it has completed its 

 third year. 



The long silky hair of all the species, but more especially that 

 of the alpaca, is spun into blankets, friezes, and coarse woollens, 

 which are warm, durable, and admit of a good dye. As it is 

 perfectly clean, and free from smell, it does not require any 



