444 



THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 



pared to acknowledge the Llamas and Alpacas to 

 be anything but the domesticated offspring of the 

 Guanaco. 



The Guanaco and Vicugna have remamed untamed 

 to the present day, while the Llama and Alpaca have 

 been domesticated from time immemorial. The first 

 discoverers of America found the two already in a 

 state of subjection to Man. Peruvian tradition sup- 

 poses the taming of the animals to have taken place 

 in the earliest stage of human existence, and connects 

 them with the terrestrial appearance of their demi- 

 gods. The Spaniards, who landed first, found every- 

 where considerable herds of Llamas in the posses- 

 sion of the mountaineers, and described the animals 

 in a somewhat confused manner, yet with sufficient 

 accuracy of detail to enable us to recognize and dis- 

 tinguish the various forms. Pedro de Cieza clearly 

 discriminated between the four species as early as 

 1 54 1, by an account which serves to show beyond a 

 doubt that the four different kinds of Llamas have 

 not undergone any change within the last three hun- 

 dred years. 



Home and All Llamas are indigenous to the 



Haunts of the table-lands of the enormous moun- 

 Llama. tain chains of the Cordilleras or 

 Andes. They thrive only in cold regions and there- 

 fore descend to the pampas or great plains of Pata- 

 gonia only in the extreme south near the Antarctic 

 regions. Near the equator their usual haunts lie 

 between thirteen thousand and fifteen thousand feet 

 above the sea, and they do not thrive below an alti- 

 tude of 6,600 feet in the warm parts of the country, 

 while Patagonia, being a colder country, affords 

 them suitable haunts below this level. Those of the 

 species living in the wild state retreat to the highest 

 crests and ridges of the mountains in the rainy sea- 

 son, and descend into the fertile valleys during the 

 dry season. They are gregarious, sometimes living 

 in flocks of several hundred, and are assiduously 

 hunted by natives. 



Description The Guanaco {Auckenia huanaco) 

 oftfie Guan- claims, together with the Llama, the 

 "<"'■ distinction of being the largest 



South American mammal, and though it occurs only 

 in an untamed state, is one of the most important. 

 In size it about equals a European Stag or Red 

 Deer; as regards its shape it is a queer compound of 

 Camel and Sheep. In a full-grown individual the 

 total length of the body is seven and a half feet, the 

 tail occupying about nine and a half inches; the 

 height at the withers is three feet ten inches, and 

 the height from the ground to the top of the head, 

 five feet four inches. The female is smaller, but of 

 exactly the same shape and hue as the male. A 

 tolerably long, copious, but loose fur covers the 

 body. This coat consists of a short, woolly layer 

 of fine texture and a thinner, longer outer fur. The 

 general color is a dingy reddish brown, while the 

 middle of the breast, the abdomen and the buttocks, 

 as well as the inner surface of the limbs, are whitish. 



The Guanaco is distributed over the Cordilleras, 

 from the wooded islands of Terra del Fuego to 

 northern Peru. It is specially plentiful in the south- 

 ern part of the mountain range, and is gregarious 

 in its habits. Meyen saw flocks numbering from 

 seven to one hundred grazing near rivers. A herd 

 usually consists of many females and only one full- 

 grown male. 



All the movements of the Guanaco are quick and 

 lively, though the animal is not as swift in flight 

 as one might suppose. Over level ground a good 



Horse soon overtakes a fleeing herd, but ordinary 

 Dogs have some difficulty in keeping up with them. 

 The usual gait of the Guanacos is a short, halting 

 amble; and when fleeing at the top of their speea 

 they extend their necks forward, somewhat after 

 the manner of a Goose. The Guanaco is an excel- 

 lent climber; it runs like a Chamois along the steep- 

 est crags and precipices, even where the most ex- 

 perienced mountaineer fails to gain a foothold, and 

 fearlessly looks down into the abyss. When at rest 

 the animal lies on its breast and legs. Camel-fashion, 

 and its method of lying down and arising is very 

 similar to the action of the Camel under the same 

 circumstances. During its rest it dreamily chews, 

 the cud. 



The Guanacos are generally very wild and shy. 

 The leader nearly always stands a few paces from^ 

 his flock and mounts guard with the utmost vigi- 

 lance, while the herd grazes in peace. On the slight- 

 est alarm he utters a loud, neighing bleat; instantly 

 all the members of the herd raise their heads, 

 sharply look around, and then betake themselves to 

 flight. 



The female gives birth to one perfectly developed 

 infant during the season. The newborn Guanaco is 

 covered with hair and has its eyes open. The mother 

 suckles it for four months, guards it carefully, dis- 

 plays toward it great tenderness and keeps it near 

 herself until it is completely matured. 

 Peculiar l^ethods The Guanaco defends itself against 

 of Defence Prac- its own kind by kicking and biting, 

 ticed by Guanacos. but timorously takes refuge in flight 

 without so much as making a pretence of defending 

 itself against an enemy which it fears. When the 

 Guanacos have become accustomed to Men and 

 domestic animals, they become bolder, sometimes 

 courageously charging at an opponent, trying to bite 

 and kick him, and in other cases resorting to a mode 

 of defence peculiar to all Llamas. They allow their 

 antagonist to approach quite closely, then put their 

 ears back, assume a surly expression of counte- 

 nance and then suddenly and violently spit upon the 

 enemy, the discharge consisting of saliva and the 

 herbage that is either held at the time in the mouth, 

 or which they have procured expressly for this pur- 

 pose out of the stomach by retching. 



Man is under all circumstances the worst foe of 

 these animals; their ileetness protects them against 

 other assailants. Whether the Condor really cause? 

 among them such havoc as has been ascribed to that 

 bird of prey remains an open question. The South 

 Americans are passionately fond of hunting the 

 Guanaco, both on account of the sport which it af- 

 fords, and the economic value of the carcass, for the 

 profit accruing from the flesh and skin is not to be 

 despised. 



In mountainous regions, as well as on plains, 

 Guanacos are not infrequently taken with a view to- 

 domestication. While they are young they exhibit 

 no vicious tendencies, and altogether conduct them- 

 selves in a pleasing manner. They are tame and 

 affectionate, follow their master about like Dogs, 

 and may be treated as Lambs; but the older they 

 grow, the more their love and affection for Man di- 

 minishes. They are easily maintained on ^hay, grass,, 

 bread and grains, even in Europe, where they prop- 

 agate their species if they are well taken care of. 

 The Llama The Lama, or more properly Llama. 



a Domesticated {Auckenia lama), is found principally 



Species. {„ Peru, and there thrives best on the 



table-lands. Its physical proportions are slightly 



