274 ^'^n'^e of Evirope, W. Sc N. Asia & America 



Tt) descrilie the Bactrian canicl on this occasion would be quite 

 superriuous. It is a huge beast, with two himips, and a very long and 

 shaggy coat in winter ; the summer dress being ciimparativelv short. 

 When in the winter coat the animal carries a large top-knot ot long hair 

 on the crown of the head, which gives it a curious likeness to its tur- 

 capped Tatar masters. The size of the humps is subject to great varia- 

 tion according to the time of year and the supply ot tood the animal 

 receives. 



In a note on the skull and skin ot a reputed wild specimen brought 

 home by Major Cumberland, Mr. Blanford remarked that the former 

 differed somewhat from the skull ot a domesticated individual with which 

 he compared it, while the humps on the latter were very small and repre- 

 sented by tutts ot long hair. 



The latter peculiarity may be due merely to the condition of the 

 animal at the time of its death. 



Owing to the great uncertainty with regard to the claims of the 

 Bactrian camel to be considered a truly wild animal, its portrait has not 

 been included in the plates illustrating this volume. 



The following notes on the origin and habits ot the Bactrian camel 

 were contributed by the present writer to Nature tor August 1901 : — 

 J Ot tew ot our laro;er domesticated animals is the origin so buried in 

 mystery as is that ot the camels. Till a tew years ago, indeed, naturalists 

 were in doubt whether the two-humped Bactrian species was really a native 

 ot the countries where it is now kept in a domesticated condition. The 

 probability was, however, all in favour of such being the case ; and tlie 

 recent discovery ot remains of fossil camels in several parts of Europe, 

 as well as the occurrence ot such remains in Asia, afford strong corrobora- 

 tive evidence that Eastern Europe and Northern Asia formed the original 

 habitat ot the wild Bactrian species. 



The subject has recently been discussed in Globus 'ior 2nd May 1901, 



