THE LLAMA (Lama lama} 



This animal was domesticated in very remote times by the 

 ancient Peruvians, and even now is an important beast of burden 

 in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia, though the original breed 

 has been replaced to a great extent by domesticated forms intro- 

 duced from the Old World. In former times it was used in great 

 numbers for the transport of silver ore from the famous mines of 

 Potosi in Bolivia, more than 13,000 feet above the sea. 



The Llama may be described as an American cousin of the 

 Camel, belonging, as it does, to the same group (Tylopoda) of 

 Ruminants or Cud-chewers. The earliest known members of this 

 group were, however, native to North America, from which area 

 the stock spread on the one hand into South America, and on the 

 other into the Old World, having since become extinct elsewhere. 



