70 AGRICULTURAL REPORT.

army into Spain, under Marshall Soult, that he observed in the Zoological Garden of Don Francisco de Theran, at San Lucar de Barrameda, in Andalusia, three alpa-vigonias,(thê cross between the vicua and alpaca,) the fleeces of which were much longer, and six times heavier than those of any other variety. The Spaniards were proud of this acquisition, thinking that they had thereby obtained a new race of wool-bearing animals, calculated to people their hills and repair the loss sustäined through the decline in their Merino flocks. By the experiment of crossing, however, they defeated the very object which they had in view, as the animals gradually died off without leaving any offspring, and in the course of a few years, there was scarcely one individual to be found in the kingdom.

The Peruvians are careful not to overload either of these animals, the burden of which is generally about 100 pounds, though, for a short distance, on good roads, they occasionally carry 12 or 15 pounds more. They are usually docile and willing to perform their task, if gently treated, but if provoked, they express their anger by turning pack their ears, and spitting into the face of their offender, even if he be 3 or 4 yards off. Their food is never prepared for them, but when unemployed, they are suffered to graze on their native mountains, often pasturing in company with the wild species; but they are so much accustomed, and apparently attached to mankind, that they never exchange servitude for freedom. Those animals which have been brought to Europe and the United States appeared to thrive well for a time on the same sorts of food as eaten by cattle and sheep; but the inferior kinds of browse, grass, Or hay, with a due proportion of potatoes, carrots, or other succulent roots, were preferred by them to rich pastures and farinaceous grains. Too liberal an allowance of nutritious and stimulating food to an animal extremely abstemious cannot, therefore, be regarded other than injurious. Its peculiarly formed stomach is not adapted to dry, hard food, the best proof of which is its habitual abstinence from drink. In Peru, the llama is sometimes treated with maize or millet in their green, soft, milky stage.

In regard to the diseases of these animals, it has frequently been remarked that, when they are taken down to the lowland towns, and are there kept for much length of time, they perspire freely, as soon as the hot weather comes on, and if neglected, a scurf, or rash, forms on the skin. In their new character, the coat, of course, is carefully preserved as being ornamental; but if it is shorn off, and the animal is bathed in the cool part of the day, before the system has been heated by exercise or the natural warmth of the climate, the sufferer invariably recovers in a short time. This cooling remedy, it has been observed, the animals themselves naturally seek; for, when taken down to the heated atmosphere of the plains, should this rash break out, both these animals instinctively go in search of a refreshing stream, not for the purpose of drinking, as has been erroneously supposed, but for bathing, and thereby preserving their health.

For a period of nearly forty ycears, the subject of introducing these

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quadrupeds into this country Has been agitated, and several attempts