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The vicugna^ the chUihueque^ and the guanaco may 

 be considered as so many inferior species of the camel, 

 to which may be added the alpaca and the llama of 

 Peru. All these animals have a great resemblance 

 to the camel, although they are smaller, and their.^ 

 forms are more elegant and better turned ; like the . 

 camel they have a small head without horns, a very 

 long neck, middle-sized ears, large and round eyeSf 

 a short muzzle, the upper lip more or less cleft, the 

 legs longer than the size of the body appears to re- 

 quire, the feet divided, the tail short, and the hair, 

 long and of a sufficient fineness for spinning. Their 

 genital parts are similar to those of the camel, and the 

 males in like manner void their urine backwards. 

 In their internal conformation they differ but little 

 from the camel, and, like all ruminating animals, 

 have four stomachs ; the second of which contains, 

 between the two membranes that compose it, a great 

 number of cavities which appear to be intended 

 solely for reservoirs of water. 



These American camels resemble those of the 

 old continent also in their dispositions and their mode 

 of living ; like them, they are extremely docile, and 

 generally very mild. The alpaca and the llama are 

 employed, like the camel, to carry burdens, and pos- 

 sess the following properties in common with that 

 animal : they kneel in order to receive or discharge 

 their loads ; their hoofs are so firm as not to require 

 shoeing, and their skins so thick as to render a pack 

 saddle unnecessary, and their step is slow, but sure 

 even in the steepest mountains. The chilihueque 

 was formerly employed by the Chilians, as the paco 

 is by the Peruvians ; but the introduction of the use 



