Animals of the Puna of Peru. 1759 



when crossing a river, an Indian lad, to avoid getting wet, may mount on the back of 

 one of the llamas ; but in such a case he immediately dismounts on reaching the op- 

 posite bank. The flesh of the llama is spongy and not agreeable in flavour. Its wool 

 is used for making coarse cloths. 



" The alpaco, or paco, is smaller than the llama. It measures from the lower part 

 of the hoot to the top of the head only 3 feet 3 inches, and to the shoulders 2| feet. 

 In form it resembles the sheep, but it has a longer neck and a more elegant head. 

 The fleece of this animal is beautifully soft and very long ; in some parts it is four or 

 five inches in length. Its colour is usually either white or black ; but in some few 

 instances it is speckled. The Indians make blankets and ponchos of the alpaco wool. 

 It is also frequently exported to Europe, and it sells at a good price in England. 

 The alpacos are kept in large flocks, and throughout the whole of the year they graze 

 on the level heights. At shearing time only they are driven to the huts. They are in 

 consequence very shy, and they run away at the approach of a stranger. The ob- 

 stinacy of the alpaco is remarkable. When one of these animals is separated from 

 the flock, he throws himself on the ground, and neither force nor persuasion will in- 

 duce him to rise ; sometimes suffering the severest punishment rather than go the way 

 the driver wishes. Few animals seem to require so imperatively the companionship of 

 its own species, and it is only when brought to the Indian huts very young, that 

 the alpacos can be separated from their flocks. 



" The largest animal of this family is the huanacu. It measures 5 feet from the 

 bottom of the hoof to the top of the head, and 3 feet 3 inches to the shoulders. In 

 form it so nearly resembles the llama, that, until a very recent period, zoologists were 

 of opinion that the llama was an improved species of the huanacu, and that the latter 

 was the llama in its wild state. In the ' Fauna Peruana ' I have explained the erro- 

 neousness of this opinion, and described the specific differences existing between the 

 two animals. On the neck, back, and thighs, the huanacu is of a uniform reddish- 

 brown colour. The under part of the body, the middle line of the breast, and the in- 

 ner side of the limbs are of a dingy white. The face is dark gray, and the lips of a 

 clear white. Of the huanacus there are not those varieties which are found among 

 the llamas and the alpacos. The wool is shorter and coarser than that of the llama, 

 and it is of nearly uniform length on all parts of the body. 



" The huanacus live in small herds of five or seven, seldom exceeding the latter 

 number. In some districts they are very shy, and retreat when any one approaches. 

 If taken very young they may be tamed ; but they are always ready to fall back into 

 their wild state. It is with great difficulty they can be trained as beasts of burthen. 

 In the menageries of Europe huanacus brought from Chile are frequently represented 

 to be llamas. 



" The vicuna is a more beautiful animal than any of those just described. Its 

 size is between that of the llama and the alpaco. It measures from the sole of the foot 

 to the top of the head 4 feet 1 inch, and 2\ feet to the shoulders. The neck is longer 

 and more slender than in either of the other relative species ; and from them the 

 vicuna is also distinguished by the superior fineness of its short curly wool. The 

 crown of the head, the upper part of the neck, the back, and thighs, are of a peculiar 

 reddish-yellow hue, called by the people of the country color de vicuna. The lower 

 part of the neck and the inner parts of the limbs are of a bright ochre colour, and the 

 breast and lower part of the body are white. 



" During the rainy season the vicuna inhabits the ridges of the Cordillera, where 



