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of mules, which have now become very numerous, 

 has entirely superceded that of the chilihueque. All 

 these animals pass a great part of the night in rumi- 

 nating, and whenever they wish to sleep, fold their 

 legs under their belly, and support themselves upon 

 the breast. 



Though these quadrupeds arc analogous to the 

 camel, they have likewise some peculiar characteris- 

 tics which distinguish them from that animal. Des- 

 tined by nature to live among ice and snow, their bo- 

 dies are covered with a thick fat between the skin and 

 the flesh, like almost all polar animals ; like them too 

 they abound in blood, which is the more necessary to 

 them, as they require a greater degree of warmth than 

 those animals which inhabit the plains : the fat pre- 

 venting the evaporation of the heat, and thereby keep- 

 ing up that temperature of the blood without which 

 they would not be able to endure the severity of the 

 cold. The lower jaw, like that of the camel, is fur^^ 

 nished with six incisqrs,two canine teeth, and several 

 grinders ; but the upper is wholly destitute of in- 

 cisors and canine teeth ; a character which appears 

 to me sufRciently marked to constitute a separate 

 genus. Besides this distinction, their ears are smaller 

 and more elegant than those of the camel ; the nose 

 is smooth, the neck straiter and better proportioned, 

 the back more level, except the guanaco 's, which is 

 a little arched, the tail handsomer, and supplied 

 with a greater quantity of hair, the legs are better 

 shaped and fitted for running, and the hair on 

 their bodies is longer, softer, and more like wool. 

 Placed by the side of one of these animals, the ca- 

 mel .would appear like a monster. Their natural 



