580 DR. J. MURIE ON LLAMAS AND ALPACAS. [Dec. 13, 



Nymphalis codomanus, Godt. Enc. Moth. ix. p. 423. n. 231 (1819). 

 Hab. S ta Lucia; Brazil (var.). B.M. 



Var. Fascia posticarum supra abbreviata. 



Hab. Ega. B.M. 



11. On the Llama and Alpaca in their Summer Dress. 

 By James Murie, M.D., Prosector to the Society. 



(Plate XLIV.) 



During the summer that has just gone by, Dr. J. E. Gray called 

 my attention to the desirableness of having a good photograph taken 

 representing the members of the genus Auchenia in their shorn 

 condition. This, however, was found a less easy task than imagined ; 

 for no sooner were the animals placed in proper grouping than some 

 one of them would alter its position. I thus was obliged to avail 

 myself of the assistance of my friend Mr. Ernest Griset, who was 

 successful in delineating the accompanying group of one Llama and 

 two Alpacas (PI. XLIV.). 



The male Llama was received, in exchange for a female one, from 

 Her Majesty the Queen on the 28th April, 1860. The two Al- 

 pacas are male and female. The latter, a black-coloured animal, 

 arrived iu the Gardens in 1849 ; the former, a black-and-white male, 

 was received, in exchange for a young one of the above female, from 

 Titus Salt, Esq., M.P., on 13th September, 1860, this male having 

 been bred in England by that gentleman. 



Although both Llamas and Alpacas have been bred repeatedly in 

 the Gardens in former years, yet since 1860 no offspring has been 

 produced. 



Until lately it has never been thought necessary to shear the ani- 

 mals of their long coats (that is, those in our Gardens), although in 

 their native country, according to Colpaert*, on the Alpaca this 

 operation is performed every two or three years. 



On our male Llama the fleece has always remained perfect, until 

 the operation of shearing was performed about the end of last August. 

 On the female Llama, which is along with this male, it was different, 

 as during this summer the fleece became ragged and partially dropped 

 off, which circumstance suggested the shearing of the others. This 

 fact is significant, and at variance with the recorded observations of 

 the late Earl of Derby in his celebrated Knowsley collection. Upon 

 this subject he saysf, "Unlike Sheep, these animals never shed 

 their coats." 



The same may be said of the Alpacas as of the male Llama, their 

 fleeces exhibiting no signs of falling off. 



* Etude surle Perou — " Des Betes a Laine des Andes," by M. Emile Colpaert, 

 Bull, de la Soc. Imp. Zool. d'Acclimatation, ser. 2. vol. i. (1864) p. 124. 



f Gleanings from ihp Menagerie and Aviary at Knowsley Hall, 1850, p. 54. 

 See also Dr. Gray, Cat. Mamm. Brit. Mus. 1852, (Unyvlata) p. 255. 



