152 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



CAMELUS. 



Bactriunns (Lat. Bactriaii), the Bactria.ii Camel. 



" Between Cairo and Suez I saw more than one camel dead 

 or dying. They seem very tenacious of life, as they remain 

 unable to rise from a broken limb or other cause for very 

 many days. I more than once wished to go up and shoot 

 the poor creatures to put them out of their misery, but the 

 Arabs have superstitious notions on this point, and would not 

 suffer it. I did once find a camel that had been stabbed by 

 its master, and once only. The poor beast had been exhausted, 

 and the long broad dagger struck into his heart. It must have 

 been a very short time before I reached the spot, as the blood 

 was almost fresh. 



" The Camels at Grand Cairo are remarkably large and 

 powerful, and my informant told me that they are very 

 proud, and will only eat their food from their master's hand 

 preferring to starve rather than receive it from any other 

 source." 



The foot of the Camel is admirably adapted for walking on 

 the loc.:e sand, being composed of large elastic pads, which 



