THE NATURALIST. 



In the little shaded paddock adjoining the outbuildings there is quite a 

 heterogeneous congregration of animals. Horses, cows, sheep, pigs, turkeys, 

 geese, hens, a pair of white haired, spiral-horned Toronto goats, and the 

 lapacas, all run and feed in amity together. The alpacas however, always keep 

 together in one company, never associating closely with the goats or sheep. 



The alpaca as most K'aturalists will know, is a member of the genus 

 Lama Cuv. and is an inhabitant of South America, The genus consists of 

 four species : Lama glauca, the Llama, L. guanicus, the Guanica, L. vicugna 

 the Yicuna, and L. pacos, the Alpaca. The llama is used in the Peruvian 

 mountains, where it occurs most numerously, as a beast of burden, carrying 

 from place to place the tents and utensils of the hunters and shepherds. It 

 was introduced into Europe about the middle of the 16th century. The alpaca 

 is taxied and reared by the Peruvians, for the sake of its fleece, the wool 

 being much finer and more valuable than that of the llama. I have not 

 been able to ascertain when the animal was brought to England, but the 

 manufacture of alpaca cloth was begun in 1843. The vicuna dwells in the 

 wildest and loneliest parts of the Andes, thirteen or fourteen thousand feet 

 above the level of the sea, and has never yet been tamed. Its wool is very 

 highly prized, being more elastic and beautiful than that of the alpaca. Of 

 the four the guanaca is perhaps the commonest, and is the least valued, 

 neither its wool nor its flesh being of good quality. The name " camel 

 sheep" is applied by Europeans to all these species in Peru. In England 

 the alpacas are sometimes called pacoes. Paco is the Indian name. 



In addition to the alpacas, the cows, goats, and other domestic animals, 

 kept at Methley Hall, by Mr. Salt, are well worthy of inspection. Mr. 

 Shillito, the herdsman, will go round the premises with respectable and civil 

 visitors. In one snug warm outhouse that I was shown there was an inter-, 

 esting little family living together apparently happily — a diminutive French 

 cow, a calf, her offspring, and an orphan lamb. This cow I was informed 

 had, on several other occasions, fulfilled the motherly office of bringing up 

 together a casual lamb, and her own calf. 



I should not close this little paper without remarking that any who 

 should happen to Adsit Methley Park, should at the same time visit the 

 Church. It contains two ancient and elaborately finished tombs of the 

 Waterton family ; a monument with recumbent figure and dog, over Lord 

 Wellis, who fell at Towton ; and other objects of great antiquarian interest. 

 An elderly widow lives close by, and is always at hand to open the doors. 



Lofthouse, March, 1866. 



