MOUNTAIN FAUNAS 85 



Of the deer we may note that the somewhat primitive 

 musk-deer {Moschus moschiferus) occurs at consider- 

 able elevations in the Himalayas, being usually found 

 in the birch forest above the zone of pines. From the 

 Himalayas the musk-deer extends northwards into 

 Central Asia and Siberia. It has unusually large lateral 

 hoofs, which apparently assist it in obtaining foothold 

 on hard snow or rocky ground, and feeds largely on 

 twigs and buds. The coat is thick, the hair being long 

 and coarse, and giving much protection against cold. 

 The kiang (p. 60) occurs in Tibet as well as in the 

 Mongolian steppe. 



As already explained. South America is siugularly 

 poor in imgulates, but in the Andes two members of 

 the camel family occur, the guanaco and the vicuna. 

 These animals have very soft feet, and though they 

 ascend to the highest ridges, they avoid equally rocky 

 regions and snow and ice. At the wet season they go 

 high up the mountain sides, but when the vegetation 

 there dries up at the approach of the hot season they 

 descend to valleys watered by springs or perennial 

 streams. The long coat affords protection against cold, 

 and the animals seem never to descend below 6,000 

 or 7,000 feet in the hotter parts of their range. 

 That this is partly due to intolerance of heat seems 

 indicated by the fact that the guanacos come down to 

 sea-level in Patagonia. The vicuna has a more limited 

 extension, being confined to the district between 

 Southern Ecuador and Central Bolivia. One of the 

 American tapirs also [Tapirus roulini), ascends to an 

 elevation of 7,000 to 8,000 feet above sea-level in 

 Ecuador and Colombia, without, apparently, showing 

 any special adaptations to mountain life. In the 

 Andes of Chile and Ecuador also occur the tiny deer of 

 the genus Pudua, which are no bigger than hares. 



