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THE STORY OF THE LLAMA . 
When wild they are very timid, and fly from a pursuer the moment that 
they see him, but their curiosity is so great that the hunter often secures 
them by lying on the ground and throwing his legs and arms about. The 
llamas come to see what the extraordinary animal can be, and give the hunter 
an opportunity of firing several shots, which the astonished animals consider 
as part of the performance. 
The llamas, like the camels, have a series of cells in the stomach for con¬ 
taining water, and can go for several days without requiring to drink. 
Llamas produce only one offspring at a time, so that their rate of increase 
is not very rapid. 
It is from the wild animals known as guanacos and vicunias that the llama 
and white alpaca are descended. 
The range of the guanaco is very wide, extending from, the lofty moun¬ 
tains of Ecuador and Peru, where it is found in company with the vicunia, to 
the plains of Patagonia-and the islands of Tierra-del-Fuego. 
In the mountains the habits of the guanaco appear to be very similar to 
those of the vicunia, but it is not unfrequently seen in larger flocks, which 
may occasionally reach as many as one hundred or even five hundred head. 
These animals are very wild and wary, and frequently the first evidence of 
their presence in the neighborhood of the hunter is their loud, neighing alarm- 
cry, which makes itself heard at a great distance. If the hunter looks at¬ 
tentively he will then probably see the herd standing in a line on the side 
of some distant hill. On approaching nearer, a few more squeals are given, 
and off they set at an apparently slow but really quick canter, along some 
narrow beaten track to a neighboring hill. If, however, by chance he abruptly 
meets a single animal, or several together, they will generally stand motionless 
and intently gaze at him, then perhaps move on a few yards, turn round, and 
look again. They are easily domesticated, and in the wild state have no notion 
of defending themselves. Guanacos take readily to the water; several times 
at Port Valdes they were seen swimming from island to’ island. Byron, in 
his voyage, says he saw them drinking salt-water. Some of our men likewise 
saw a herd apparently drinking the briny fluid from a salina near Cape Blanco. 
The white alpaca has for ages furnished the aborigines of Peru with the 
material for their blankets and ponchos. The wool of the alpaca is to-day the 
only thoroughly satisfactory material for producing the fine luster in ex¬ 
pensive fancy fabrics. On this account the alpaca has retained its place as 
a useful domestic animal, in spite of having lost its prestige in some degree by 
the importation of European species into Peru. 
