larly at that season when deer are `in the red.' Indeed the
vicuna is more deer-like than any other animal except the antelope--much
more so than its congeners the llama, alpaca, or guanaco. Its form is
slender, and its gait light and agile, while the long tapering neck and
head add to the resemblance. The colour, however, is peculiarly its
own, and any one accustomed to seeing the vicuna can distinguish the
orange-red of its silky coat at a glance, and at a great distance. So
peculiar is it, that in Peru the `_Colour de vicuna_' (vicuna colour)
has become a specific name.

"My companion at once pronounced the animals before us a herd of
vicunas. There were about twenty in all, and all except one were
quietly feeding on the grassy plain. This one stood apart, his long
neck raised high in air, and his head occasionally turning from side to
side, as though he was keeping watch for the rest. Such was in fact the
duty he was performing; he was the leader of the herd--the patriarch,
husband and father of the flock. All the others were ewes or young
ones. So affirmed my companion.

"The vicuna is polygamous--fights for his harem with desperate
fierceness, watches over its number while they feed or sleep, chooses
the ground for browsing and rest--defends them against enemies--heads
them in the advance, and covers their retreat with his own `person'--
such is the domestic economy of the vicuna.

"`Now, senor,' said the hunter, eyeing the herd, `if I could only kill
him (he pointed to the leader) I would have no trouble with the rest. I
should get every one of them.'

"`How?' I inquired.

"`Oh!--they would!--ha! The very thing I wished for!'

"`What?'

"`They are heading towards yonder rocks.' He pointed to a clump of
rocky boulders that lay isolated near one side of the plain--`let us get
there, comrade--_vamos_!'

"We stole cautiously round the edge of the mountain until the rocks lay
between us and the game; and then crouched forward and took our position
among them. We lay behind a jagged boulder, whose seamed outline looked
as if it had been designed for loop-hole firing. It was just the cover
we wanted.

"We peeped cautiously through the cracks of the rock. Already the
vicunas were near, almost within range of our pieces. I held in my
hands a double-barrel, loaded in both barrels with large-sized
buck-shot; my companion's weapon was a long Spanish rifle.

"I received his instructions in a whis