IMPURITY AND MANUFACTURE OF SODA. 71 



small red flags. These stakes are connected with each other 

 by cords placed prettj' close. Two or three hunters then 

 attack the herd, which disperses. Frequently some of the 

 vicunas are surprised, and the rest rush down the moun- 

 tain , but as soon as they reach the fence, instead of leaping 

 over it, which they might easily do, terrified at the colour 

 of the flags, they crouch down in the snow, or in holes, where 

 hunters posted for the purpose easily lake them. After 

 tying their legs, they carry them to a convenient place, to 

 sheer their fleeces. If the animals be old, they let them 

 loose: jf young, they take them to their huts, keep them, Domesticated. 

 and train them to carry burdens, loading them in the same 

 manner as camels. They cannot live in the burning plains 

 of America, and accordingly the inhabitants of the mountains 

 alone can keep them. This no doubt is the reason why the 

 animal has been hitherto so little known. 



When the animal is young, its fiesh is good eating; but Flesh and 



the wool is iustly in high estimation. The merchant as- ^°° * 



1 .t . i ij 4. ^ -t? 1 • Thelaiter 



sured me, that it was seldom sent to li^arope pure, being commonlr 



almost always mixed with other wool of less value. adulterated. 



I think with him, that it might be naturalized and breed The Pyrenees 



in the Pyrenees, on the summit of which the snow scarcely ^'^^P^^'^ *<> i*« 



ever thaws ; particularly as the pasture there is excellent. 



Observations oji the Hydrosulphate of Soda, and improving 

 the Preparation of the Soda of the Shops ; by Mr- Figuier, 

 Prof, of Chemistry at Montpeilier*, 



J_ HE 41st vol. of the Ann. de Chim. contains a note by Hidrosulpuret 

 Mr. Vauquelin on hidrosulphuret of soda accidentally found of soda found 

 by him in the mother water of a solution, from which he ""^bonate. * 

 ha4 obtained crystals of carbonate of sodaf. The soda he 

 lixiviated was from the manufactory of Messrs. Payen and 

 Bourlier ; and he supposed, that they had not employed car- Apparent 

 bonate of lime enough to saturate all the sulphur ari&ing from source of it, 



♦ Ann. de Chim. vol. LXIV, p. 59. 

 -f- See Journal, vol. I, p. 303, 



the 



