Page:The Present State of Peru.djvu/73

Rh  to that of high Peru, in which latter territory the animals in question live naturally, and multiply their species. The sole reason, it would appear, which can be adduced, to account for this extraordinary circumstance, is that, throughout the whole extent of the northern mountains of the Cordillera, a kind of pasture which the Peruvian naturalists name ycho, or ychu, and which is denominated by the authors of the Flora of Peru xarava, is not to be found. This plant belongs to the gramineous tribe, and appears to be the natural food of the vicunas, huanacos, &c. It is extremely abundant in the mountains of Peru; but in those of Quito, Santa Fe, &c. naturalists have not hitherto succeeded in ascertaining its presence.

ZOOLOGY.

this head, the llama, referred to above, is introduced in Plate II. To shew the diversity of colour, the artist has copied two of these animals from the Peruvian painting by which the different engravings contained in this work are supplied. As they were brought to the Capital, Lima, from the mine territory, to be exhibited in an Indian procession, they are laden with bars of silver, in allusion to that circumstance. The natural history of this animal is too well known to need any particular mention in this place; but a few words may be offered relatively to the vicuna, another animal of the same species, which supplies the vicuna wool. To obtain this, the Indians hunt down and destroy these animals, insomuch, that it is probable the race will one day become extinct in Peru. If, as is confidently asserted by many intelligent natives of that