328 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



any other of this group, owing to the large use of Alpaca wool in 

 making various fabrics. This animal would be a good subject for 

 introduction into some of our colonies where suitable conditions exist, 

 and, indeed, it was tried in Australia, but the herd imported did not 

 thrive, possibly on account of the heat of the climate, unsuitable for 

 mountain animals ; New Zealand would probably have been better. 



THE VICUGNA 



{Auchenia vicuna) 



The Vicugna is a considerably smaller animal than the Guanaco, and 

 has a shorter head even in proportion to its size — indeed, it might 

 very easily be mistaken for a young specimen of the larger species, as 

 its colour is very similar. It may, however, always be distinguished by 

 the absence of the bare patches found on the stifle-joint of the hind- 

 legs in the Guanaco, which agrees in this respect with the Camel- 

 The Vicugna is found high up in the mountains of South America 

 from Peru to Central Bolivia. In general habits it much resembles 

 the Guanaco, but is, unlike that species, purely alpine, and never 

 occurs in the plains. 



Its wool is peculiarly fine and soft, and the animal would be well 

 worth domesticating, as, of course, this product can at present only be 

 obtained by hunting the wild animals. A worthy priest in Peru, the 

 Cure* Caprera, once succeeded in producing hybrids between the Vicugna 

 and Alpaca, which bore fine fleeces and were fertile, but poverty fell 

 upon him, and the valuable breed was lost. There would be no diffi- 

 culty, however, in repeating the experiment, for the Vicugna thrives 

 in captivity as well as the Guanaco, though both are naturally not as 

 often met with as the domesticated Llama. 



