The Llamas are far inferior to the camel in size and strength, two properties which render that animal so truly serviceable; but they are more lively and active, having a free and confiding carriage, and an animated expression. There exists, even in the present day, no little perplexity as to the number of species in the present genus to be received as truly distinct; a perplexity arising partly from the modifications of external form and appearance which centuries of domestication have produced, and partly from the vague and loose manner in which travellers who have seen the various races in their native climate, have spoken of them. We are, however, inclined to consider the species as reducible to three: the GUANACO, of which the reclaimed breed is called the LLAMA, (Auchenia glama ;) the ALPACA, (Auchenia alpaca ;) and the VICUGNA, (Auchenia vicunia.) With regard to the Alpaco, it differs from the others in the shortness of its limbs, and in having its wool of a longer and finer texture.

The Llama, or, as we should call it in its wild state, the Guanaco, inhabits the Cordilleras of the Andes, especially in Peru and Chili. It does not, however, advance so high as the line of perpetual snows, but prefers a middle region, where temperature and food are both congenial. Here, then, among crags and precipices, and scenery wild and terrific, where the nunter would be foiled, even if he dared to venture, vast herds of these animals associate during the summer, free as the air, and feeding upon the herbage of that elevation, and the grass called ycho which covers the mountain slopes. As long as green and succulent vegetables can be procured, the animal never drinks, and it is not improbable that the cells of the stomach retain the moisture of the masticated herbage for the necessities of the system, perhaps even adding to it by a liquid secretion of their own. However this may be, we cannot but acknowledge the wisdom and providential care of God, in forming a creature destined to gladden by its presence the bold cliffs and barren rocks, and broken mountain steeps of the mighty Andes, so as not only to be able to live without water, but, provided it can obtain its natural food, not even to require it.

Swift, vigorous, and bounding fearlessly from

Foot of the Llama.

crag to crag, or clambering up the rugged steep, the Llama exhibits in the structure of its foot a

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piece of workmanship as admirable as does the camel; and as the one is expressly formed for the sandy desert, so is the other for the station it occupies upon the earth. How beautiful, how simple, how true to themselves, are the laws of the Creator! Instead of the solid truncated mass composing the foot of the ox, we here see a long, slender, springy foot, the toes being completely divided, and each protected at the end with a short strong hoof, hooked like a claw at the tip, and ridged acutely above: with such an instrument, so free, so flexible, so calculated for fixing hold of every roughness and projection, the step of the creature is as firm and secure as that of the camel on the plain, or the ox on the glebe. Thus we are again led to admire Him who is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

From the higher grounds, where the Llamas continue during summer, the herds migrate as winter comes on into the sheltered valleys and defiles, where the Chilians hunt them with dogs. The chace is arduous; and it is only with the young that there is much chance of success: the old ones, fleet and strong, seem to mock their pursuers, upon whom, we are told, they will frequently turn, "neigh with all their might, and then set off again at full speed."

The Guanaco in captivity is free and confident; for not only do they boldly approach strangers, in hopes of some delicate morsel, but are ever ready to testify their displeasure by a discharge of saliva over the person of any one who may unwittingly give them offence. This is the usual mode in which the Llamas manifest their anger or impatience, though they will sometimes also strike with the fore legs, especially when forced to act vigorously on the defensive.

The colour of the Guanaco, with slight variations, is usually a deep rich fawn, verging to white on the under parts; the head is of a dull grey; the wool is fine, long, and of a silky texture, but is shorter on the neck and limbs than on the body. In the Alpaco, the neck, we believe, is as well covered as the other parts. The stature of the animal to the top of the shoulder is about four feet. The long, slender neck is held erect and swanlike.

The wool and the flesh of the Guanaco, connected with the ease with which the animal is domesticated, must have attracted from the ear. liest times the notice of the ancient Peruvians. The Spaniards on their conquest of Peru found the Llama the only beast of burden, supplying the place of the horse, the ox, and the ass; its flesh also was the staple article of animal diet.

The Llama, or reclaimed Guanaco, of which our plate (see Engraving, No. 48) represents a beautiful specimen, exhibits the usual characters produced by domestication. The size is greater, the body stouter, the limbs more muscular, and the wool longer and coarser, than are found in the Guanaco; the physiognomy, too, has lost its air of wildness and independence; and the profile, instead of exhibiting that arched outline so remarkable in its freeborn relative, is flat, and expressive of mildness and subjection. The colour is also subject to much variation, being white, brown, black, or even mixed.

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Gentle and docile, the Llama has nothing of the active energy of the Guanaco; on the contrary, its step is slow and regular. Its load is, at the most, one hundred and fifty pounds, with which it will travel fourteen or fifteen miles a day, along rugged mountain passes, and the narrow ledges of precipitous rocks, with a firm and sure step; but it will bear neither to be loaded too heavily, nor urged beyond its regular temperate pace; for, with a display of obstinacy almost unexpected in so mild an animal, it will under such circumstances lie down, refusing with the utmost pertinacity to proceed a single step. In this respect it, in fact, resembles the camel.

The great use which the Peruvians made of the Llama was in bringing down from the mountains the produce of the mines, a laborious office, in which mules are now more generally employed; it is, however, by no means disused, for, though not equal to heavy labour, it is recommended by the little cost at which it can be maintained.

Gregory de Bolivar estimates that, in his time, four millions were annually killed for food, and that three hundred thousand were employed in the transport of the produce of the mines of Potosi alone. The wool is manufactured into articles of clothing and coarser stuffs, and its skin makes excellent leather. The Alpaca in its habits closely resembles the Guanaco.

The VICUGNA, (Auchenia vicunia,) is a much more hardy animal than the Guanaco, and inhabits a range of higher elevation, near the line of snow, and where the cold is more intense. Its size is considerably less, but its wool is of exquisite fineness and delicacy, and is very valuable for the manufacture of expensive shawls and other articles of dress. It is said, that eighty thousand are yearly killed for the sake of their wool, and yet that the species does not appear to diminish. Instead, however, of this barbarous and narrowsighted way of proceeding, it would, we imagine, be much better, as it is no doubt practicable, to reclaim the creature, and add it to the number of those which man feels it his interest and duty to protect. Its colour is a pale yellowish fawn.

Next in succession to the llamas we find the genus Moschus, comprehending a group of elegant and beautiful little animals, known by the name of Chevrotains, or Musk-deer. These animals, though exhibiting one or two of the characters of the camels, bear no similarity to that race in size, form, or habits.

One of the species of this genus is celebrated as the creature producing, from the secretion of certain glands, the costly substance called musk, valuable as a perfume, and also formerly much used as a medicine. This creature, the true Muskdeer, has given its name to the whole genus, for none of the others produce this secretion; besides which, they exhibit many other points of difference: for example, their hoofs are long, narrow, and pointed, the posterior rudimentary hoofs being high set, small, and conical; while in the true Musk-deer the hoofs are broad and expanded, and the posterior large, and almost touching the ground: still the general and essential characteristics are the same.

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In the arrangement of the teeth, the genus Moschus is nearer the deer than it is the camels, notwithstanding the presence of canine teeth in the upper jaw, extending in the males to so great a length as to project like tusks from the mouth; but incisor teeth are found alone in the lower jaw, and to the number of eight; the molars are six on each side above and below; their crowns, however, instead of being flat, are tuberculous, the first in the upper and first two in the lower jaw having indeed sharp cutting edges and points. The head, as in the camel, is destitute of horns, the deficiency being supplied by the development of the canine teeth; the general form and contour is that of the deer in miniature; but the body is rounder and stouter, the neck much shorter, the head not carried erect, and the bearing not so bold; the face also is narrower, the muzzle pointed, and the slits or lachrymal fossæ below the eye, so conspicuous in the deer and antelope, are wanting; the eye is full, large, dark, and brilliant; the legs are slender and tapering; and the haunch, the highest part, is round and expanded.

Besides the celebrated Musk-deer, the genus contains four others; natives, one of Ceylon, and three of Java, the smallest and the most elegant of the ruminating order.

The MUSK-DEER, (Moschus moschiferus, LINN.) is itself by no means so small and graceful as its scentless congeners: in size it is as large as a roebuck, and is covered with hair, long, (so as to conceal the tail, which is merely rudimentary,) coarse, and harsh, and waved with a mixture of brown yellow and whitish, so as to produce a dark rufous tinge on the back, fading off to white beneath. A thick tuft of hair hangs on each side from the lower jaw; the tusks of the male are about three inches in length, very sharp, curved gently backwards, and edged posteriorly.

The Musk-deer is a wild, solitary, and timid animal, residing among broken crags and mountain precipices, and ever cautious and watchful against surprise; it is eagerly hunted for the sake of the perfume, peculiar to the male alone. As soon as an individual is killed, the hunter removes the musk-pouch, situated on the abdomen, and ties it up to be ready for sale: it usually contains about two drachms.

The Musk-deer is peculiar to the Asiatic continent, and especially to that region of wild rocks and mountains whence many of the rivers of Asia have their source, and which extends between Siberia, China, and Thibet. It is from Thibet and Tonquin that the highest-scented musk is imported; as we pass northward we find it deteriorate and become almost inodorous.

The four remaining and closely allied species of this genus are, first, the MEMINNA, (Moschus meminna, SCH.,) a beautiful little creature from Ceylon, about the size of a hare, with large dark eyes, and smooth shining hair of an olive colour, clouded with reddish about the limbs; the sides are dappled with interrupted lines and irregular dots of white; the throat and chest also are white, and from the former two lines of the same colour on each side radiate backwards, the lower one extending to the shoulders. This peculiar

RUMINANTIA.]

marking of the throat, specifically varied in a slight degree, is characteristic of these four charming species; of which the second is the JAVANESE CHEVROTAIN, or Musk-deer, (Moschus Javanicus, PALL.,) a native, as its name imports, of Java. The size of this little creature is that of a rabbit, the legs being scarcely so thick as a common quill; its general colour is a uniform ferruginous brown, clouded with black, with the usual throat-marks.

The third is the NAPU MUSK-DEER, (Moschus napu,) also a native of Java, and the one to which Sir Stamford Raffles applied the term Javanicus, which we have retained for the previous species. From an admirable essay on this animal, in the "Gardens Delineated," we take the liberty of making a few extracts. "In size, it is about equal to a full grown hare; its colour above is dark, glossy, ferruginous brown......The under parts and inside of the legs are pure white, as are also the throat and chin ;" whence the white lines radiate as usual, but with abrupt edges.

"The Napu frequents thickets near the seashore, and feeds principally upon berries. It seldom visits the larger forests, which are the favourite resort of the Kanchil; for it does not possess either the agility or the cunning of the latter, to secure it from danger, and prefers, therefore, the vicinity of man, with whom it readily becomes familiar, to that of the beasts of prey which inhabit the interior. When taken young, it is tamed with the greatest facility. In captivity, it appears perfectly at its ease, and quite indifferent to what is passing around it. Its full dark eye and placid air give it the appearance of a degree of intelligence which it does not really possess, for the greater part of its existence is passed in eating, drinking, and sleeping. Its voice is scarcely more than might be produced by a deep but still a gentle expiration."

The fourth is the KANCHIL MUSK-DEER, (MOSchus kanchil, RAFF.) to which we have already alluded in the previous extract. It is also a native of Java, where, timid and distrustful, it seeks the deep solitude of the forests, to shun the eye of man. Its height is about nine inches, its length, fourteen; its colour is a strong reddish brown, approaching to black on the back, and shading off to bright bay on the sides, the under parts becoming white. The markings of the throat vary in their arrangement from those of the Napu; the upper line of white extending from the jaw to the shoulder. The canine teeth are long; the tail tufted and white at the tip. Berries and wild fruits constitute its diet.

Before we leave this charming and elegant group, we have to remark, that there appears to exist some degree of confusion among the species, which remains still to be fairly cleared up. For a fuller elucidation of this point, we would refer our readers to the admirable essay from which we have just quoted.

A multitude of beautiful creatures now present themselves, of graceful form, elastic step, and animated expression. We see them bounding over the plains and through the forests in every quarter of the globe, from the poles to the equator. Congregated in herds, they wander wild and free; their very air is that of freedom, and

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every action proclaims independence. Their limbs are strong, slender, and sinewy; their neck tapering, and swan-like; their head small, held high, and garnished in the males with antlers. Such are the STAGS and the DEER, a multitudinous race, that compose the genus Cervus.

The generic characters are simple: incisor teeth in the lower jaw alone, eight; grinders, six on each side above and below. Beneath the inner angle of the eye, there is a deep slit or fossa, generally known as the lachrymal sinus; but of the use of which nothing is yet ascertained. The ears are large and pointed. The antlers, found with one exception, namely, the Reindeer, alone in the males, are solid, and annually shed and renewed. Their character differs in different species, some being broad and expanded, with a short stem; others, being tree-like, branching out into numerous ramifications; others, again, with a long stem, becoming palmated at the extremity.

The production, loss, and renewal of the antlers of this class of animals are among the most remarkable phenomena of animal physiology. To understand it, we must place the skull of a Deer before us. We behold the frontal bone (bone of the forehead) divided by a longitudinal suture, or fissure, into two portions, which never become consolidated into one, as in man, in whom also this frontal bone is originally thus divided; each portion consisting of fibres of osseous matter, radiating from a centre of ossification. In man, these two portions soon unite into one, every trace of division becoming obliterated: not so in the Deer; for the osseous matter radiating from the two centres of ossification, so as to complete two bones, with edges in contact and dovetailing together, ceases to be deposited any longer on these margins so as to make the union perfect, but is forthwith accumulated upon the very centres themselves, raising them up into conical protuberances, covered by the skin. But the work does not rest here: these protuberances, formed during the creature's nonage, are to be the foundation whence future antlers are to arise. The days of nonage are past; spring kindles the blood of the youthful stag, and volume after volume of the vital stream rushes impetuously to the head and now begins another process; the arteries of the skin, enveloping these two protuberances of bone, dilate, and, taking upon themselves a new action, deposit atom by atom on the tops of these protuberances, layer after layer of osseous matter with astonishing rapidity: the antlers are growing, and as they grow, the skin grows with them, and the arteries enlarge more and more, acquiring an astonishing circumference, and leaving their course permanently imprinted in long furrows on the horn. Thus the process goes on by the agency of these vessels, whose extreme capillaries elaborate the osseous particles (phosphate of lime) from the blood, adding them to the layers newly deposited, till the antlers have acquired their due degree of development, a degree regulated by the age of the individual, or the vigour of the system. The skin, as we have said, still envelopes every part, and every fork; it is highly vascular, tender, soft, and velvety; it is, indeed, termed "the velvet." But now another process begins: this

:

velvet must be got rid of, for these antlers have to endure the brunt of conflict, and must be hard and insensible. What is to be done? Nature now acts the part of a surgeon, who applies a ligature round a vessel, to stop the current of blood; she does the same, but not suddenly; for so great a mass of blood suddenly prevented from running its accustomed course, would be turned upon the brain, and apoplexy would be the consequence. This part of the process, then, is gradual, but not dilatory. The arteries of the base of the antlers, where they are in junction with the bony protuberances, began early to deposit around that spot a ring of osseous matter, with notches through which the arteries passed. The arteries which formed this ring are the last to act, and their work now is to cause the openings or notches through which the great arteries pass to contract more and more, the compression of the arteries taking place accordingly, till the ligature is tight and obstruction completely effected. What follows? The velvet covering of these antlers dies for want of the supply of the vital fluid; it shrivels like parchment, splits, and peels off in ribands, which the animals assist to remove by rubbing the antlers against a tree. They are finished; white, polished, and pointed, the ring, called the burr, remaining to ornament their base.

This process occupies about ten weeks; in this time, in the Stag, for instance, a mass of phosphate of lime, with a certain portion of gelatine, amounting to twenty or thirty pounds, or even more, is elaborated from the blood of the system; but in that extinct animal, the Irish elk, whose broad palmated horns have a span from tip to tip of twelve to fifteen feet, twice as much of this matter as the rest of the skeleton would contain, was annually produced, a fact as wonderful as the quickness of the process.

Nothing can be more beautiful than the Stag thus proudly armed, and ready to combat with his rivals, like the champion of old in the tournament, with his lance in rest.

As soon as they are thus finished, the antlers have ceased to be part and parcel of the system; that is, they have now no vital connexion with the skull, to which they only adhere, not grow, and of which they are parts by the laws of aggregation, not of vitality. Thus fixed, they continue during the winter, till spring returning rouses the circulation, and again bids the blood roll in tides to the head, that the process may be again repeated. The old antlers must be thrown off. But how? They are beyond the bounds of the system; and must nature wait till, by the laws of chemistry, the atmosphere and moisture shall have crumbled them away? Impossible. What, then, is to be done? Nature can act within the vital bounds of the system, and does act, setting up a process of absorption at the line of junction where they anchy lose with the protuberances, in order to undermine them at their base; and this process is continued till the union is so far dissolved, that by the least motion or slightest rub against a tree, they fall off, leaving the protuberances exposed and bleeding. The flow of blood, however, soon ceases, the skin closes over, and the new antlers begin to bud; but the process re-occurs with increased vigour; these

[RUMINANTIA.

antlers grow larger than the last, and with additional branches; next year, they will be larger still, and so on for several successive seasons.

How simple, how direct, how unfailing, and yet how mysterious, are the laws which God has given to nature! how worthy of Him whose wisdom is still more marvellously displayed in the laws of a system of mercy by which, through one atonement, the guilty may be pardoned, and he who is led captive by sin be set free, and brought into the glorious liberty of the gospel.

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"

We shall now proceed to the selection of a few characteristic examples of the present group; and first we notice the ELK, (Cervus alces, LINN.) (See Engraving, No. 47.) The Elk is a native of the wooded wilds of Poland, Sweden, and Scandinavia, as well as of the northern regions of America, where it is generally known by the name of Moose-deer, a corruption of the CreeIndian term moosoa. Whether the Scandinavian Elk and the Moose-deer are truly identical, is as yet by no means clear, though such is supposed to be the case by naturalists in general; yet it is far from being unlikely that a strict comparison might lead to the establishment of specific differences, or, at least, differences of such a nature as are commonly found to distinguish between the native animals of America and their European representatives.

The word Elk is of Celtic origin, elch, whence the Swedish alg; the Latin word alce, or alces, used by Pliny, but first occurring in the writings of Cesar, being nothing more than the original Celtic adopted into the Roman language. This animal is the largest of the genus Cervus, exceeding the horse at the shoulder; it is, however, of all its congeners, the least distinguishable for elegance or grace. The head is large and elongated, having the muzzle and upper lip both equally covered with short hair, singularly projecting and flexible, something like that of the tapir, and serving for the purpose of drawing down or directing to the mouth the shoots and twigs of trees on which it is accustomed to feed. The ears are large and open; the eyes small and inexpressive; the neck is short and powerful; and the withers high and narrow, both being surmounted by a coarse mane; the body is strong and short, and raised on legs of such disproportionate length, as to give the idea of the animal being supported upon stilts, an idea still farther strengthened by the straddling awkwardness of its steps. The horns, which do not attain to their perfect shape until the fifth time of renewal, (the sixth year,) are of enormous size, some having been found to weigh as much as sixty pounds; hence the strength and shortness of the neck for supporting the strain. Below the throat hang two pendulous slender dewlaps of loose skin. The tail is very short; the hair is full, long, coarse, and harsh, black at the tips, grey in the middle, and white at the

roots.

Awkward as is the pace of the Elk, the animal can sustain a chace of long continuance: it does not bound like the deer, or gallop like the horse, but strides along, its hoofs loudly cracking at every step; for, like those of the rein-deer, they are broad and divided highly, so as to diverge on