Title: Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammalia
Identifier: brehmslifeofanim1896breh (find matches)
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Brehm, Alfred Edmund, 1829-1884; Pechuel-Loesche, Edward, 1840-1913; Haacke, Wilhelm, 1855-1912; Schmidtlein, Richard
Subjects: Mammals; Animal behavior
Publisher: Chicago : Marquis
Contributing Library: Internet Archive
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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THE CAMELS—LLAMA. 445 larger than those of the Guanaco, and it is character- ized by callosities on the breast and on the external surface of the first joints of the fore-legs. The head is narrow and short, the lips are hairy, the ears short and the soles of the feet large. The coloring is very variable; it may be white, black, pied, reddish-brown spotted with white, dark brown, ochre-yellow, gray- ish-red, or of other hues. The adult animal attains a height of from eight feet eight inches to nine feet four inches from the soles of its feet to the top of its head; at the withers it is about four feet high. Acosta relates that the Indians lead entire herds of "these Sheep," loaded like beasts of burden, over the mountains, the herds often numbering from three such a hard task is imposed only on those animals belonging to poor soldiers wandering through Peru. All these animals prefer cold air and thrive in the mountain, while they succumb to the heat of the plain. They are often entirely covered with hoar- frost and ice and yet remain in good health. The short haired specimens often furnish the beholder with cause for merriment. Ever and anon they sud- denly stop on the road, lift their heads and fixedly stare at people, standing still a long time without showing any sign of fear or displeasure. At other times they suddenly take fright and shy at some- thing, and run up on the top of the highest crags taking with them their burdens, and they often have
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THE LLAMA. In southern Peru the Llama is one of the most common of the domesticated animals, and is now no longer known in a wild state. It is the typical species of the New World animals of the Camel family, though much smaller than the Camels proper. It was formerly much used as a beast of burden and is still used as such, but since the introduction into Peru of Horses, Asses and Mules its importance in that respect has greatly dimin- ished. Its hairy covering is long and woolly. (Auchenia lama.) hundred to five hundred, or even one thousand. "I have been astonished," says he, "to see these herds of Sheep loaded with two or three thousand bars of silver, of the value of about three hundred thousand ducats, accompanied only by a few Indians who guide, load and unload the Sheep, the escort at the most being supplemented by a few Spaniards. They sleep all night in the fields and yet so great is pub- lic security in Peru that nothing has ever been lost by robbery on these long journeys. In suitable rest- ing places, where there are rivers and pasturage, the leaders unload their animals, put up tents, cook meals and take their ease despite the long journey. If the trip requires only one day's travel, those Sheep carry eight arrobas (about two hundred pounds) and traverse from eight to ten leguas (eighteen to twenty-two and one-half miles); but to be shot down in order to prevent the loss of the goods they carry." Only the males are used for conveying burdens, the females serving exclusively for breeding pur- poses. "There is nothing more beautiful," says Ste- venson, "than a caravan of these animals, as they march one behind the other, in the greatest order, each with its burden of a hundred weight or so. They are guided by a leader, adorned with a taste- fully decorated halter, a little bell and a flag on its head. Thus they travel along the snow-covered peaks of the Cordilleras or by the side of the moun- tain, along roads where Horses and Mules would pick their way with difficulty; and they are so tract- able that their drivers need neither goad nor whip to guide or urge them forward. Quietly and without interruption they move on toward their goal."

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