ACCOUNT OF THE VICUNA. t)^ 



camel, thick, rounded on its outward surface, and covered 

 in the natural state with a fatty substance of a close tex- 

 ture. The integuments on this part are much thicker than 

 elsewhere. This bone was intended to serve as a point of 

 support for the animal when lying down; and the almost 

 constant use he made of it during his illness had pressed the 

 extremities of the sternocostal cartilages inwards. The Hump on the 

 middle, spinal apophyses of the vertebrse formed a gibbosity,^^*^"-* 

 which, if it had been covered externally by a little fat, 

 would have resembled the bunch of the camel. The re- 

 mainder of the vertebral column inclined imperceptibly 

 toward the pelvis, which was of itself inclined and of small 

 capacity. The edges of the haunch bones were cartilagi- 

 nous. The sacrum was lengthened by a series of caudal 

 vertebrtB, so as to form a tail in every respect similar to that Tail. 

 of the camel. 



The scapulae, very thin and without clavicles, were con- Shoulder 

 nected with the trunk only by means of scapular muscles, ^^^*^^*' 

 as in the camel. The cervical vertebrae formed a very long Neck. 

 column, curving from below upward, so as to give the neck 

 the same figure and length in proportion to the size of the 

 animal as those of the camel. As in the latter these vertebrae 

 had no spinal apophyses ; but a very strong cervical liga- 

 ment, extendmg from the occiput to the spine of the first 

 dorsal vertebra, supplied their place for the attachment of the 

 muscles, and kept the head and vertebrae in their proper 

 position. The anterior face of these vertebrae had a longi- 

 tudinal hollow, adapted for the reception of the trachea and 

 cesophagus. 



The head of the vicuna has the same shape and external Head, 

 characters as that of the camel. The jaws have the same 

 number of grinding teeth. The lower has only four cutting 

 teeth, the middlemost of which are the most prominent* 

 The upper has none, as in other ruminating animals. 



The fore and hind limbs in every respect resemble those Limbi. 

 of the camel. 



The joints of the limbs form a perfect ginglymus, ad- Join u. 

 mitting a direct and complete flexure of one part against 

 the next, so that this animal, Hke the camel, bends all 

 his four legs underneath his breast when he lies down : 



