LLAMAS. 



61 



distribution, being domesticated throughout a large portion of 

 Turkestan and the neighbouring region, extending as far as the 

 Crimea in the west, and to Lake Baikal and Pekin in the east. 

 Some of the wild Camels found near Yarkand are probably derived 

 from animals that originally escaped from captivity ; but others 

 found in the deserts of Central Asia appear to be truly wild. The 

 Bactrian species is the heavier and more clumsily-built of the two, 

 and has shorter legs and thicker hair, and is better adapted for 

 traversing rocky ground. From the large loads they carry, and 

 their capacity for going a long time without water, Camels are most 

 valuable beasts of burden, although their disposition is surly, and 

 their temper uncertain. Fossil species are found in the north of 

 India and Algeria, as well as in Russia and Rumania. 



. , Under the general title of Llamas may be 



The Llamas 



included not only the South American domesti- 

 GetlUS Lama. ca ^ e( j animals properly so called, but likewise 

 the wild Vicugna, Lama vicugna (1327), and the Guanaco, [Case 64.] 

 L. huanacus (1 328). They are much smaller and less bulky animals 

 than the Camels, with longer ears, shorter and more bushy tails, 

 and no hump on the back. The wild species associate in large 

 herds ; both inhabit the high Andes immediately below the snow- 

 line, but the Guanaco ranges southwards on to the plains of 

 Argentina and Patagonia. They are exceedingly vigilant and shy ■ 

 and their only means of defence is by spitting. The domesticated 

 kinds are the true Llama, L. glama (1329), and the Alpaca, 

 L. alpaca (1330), both of which appear to be descended from the 

 Guanaco. The Alpaca is kept in large flocks, which graze on the 

 open uplands of the Andes of Southern Peru and Northern Bolivia, 

 at elevations of from fourteen to sixteen thousand feet. It is 

 smaller than the Llama, and valued for its wool, of which blankets 

 and ponchos are made. On the other hand, the Llama is employed 

 as a beast of burden. Specimens of the Llama are exhibited in 

 the North Hall, with the other domesticated animals. Remains of 

 extinct Llamas are abundant in the earlier Tertiary deposits of 

 North, but not of South America ; the group having immigrated 

 comparatively recently into the latter country. The specimen of 

 the Guanaco was presented by Dr. F. P. Moreno, when Director 

 of the Museum at La Plata. 



