27 



Olipliant has carefully oxaminod this niattei' from a practical 

 point of view. Hr fouiul ilmt of {'aniels sent up tlio Kuram 

 Valley, 35% were uusorvieeabic as being- either too old or under 

 five years of age. V. S. Chas. Steel found out of 70 dead 

 camels at Quctta2(j undi-r two years of age ; evidently camels for 

 the last Afghan ^Var were very badly selected. I'o prevent too 

 young or too old animals being rushed across the frontier with 

 a view to their owners obtaining compensatiou for loss, Mr. Oli- 

 pliant gives the following information for ofhcers appointed to 

 select camels : — Dkxtition of Camkl as dpjxoting age — At two 

 years of age there are of the front teeth two temporary in the 

 upper jaw and eight in the lower. At three years of age they are 

 more worn, so that by four years old the lower ones become simply 

 peg-like fangs wide apart in the jaw and discoloured. At about 

 five years the first permanent incisors are cut, the animal is 

 now called do uk (previously chatri) ; at abont six years the lateral 

 permanent incisors appear (the animal becoming a choicga) ; 

 at seven years the corner incisors are obtained (the camel being 

 a chiga). Between seven and eight years the lower tushes are 

 cut and are quickly followed by the upper. At eight years they 

 are even with the incisors which form a level series the corner 

 pair, only, being unworn (the camel is now termed nesh or jewan 

 and is in its prime). The two npper secondary tushes are cut later 

 and are somewhat irregular in their time of appearance. The 

 true tushes at first slant forwards, then become npright and finally 

 curve backwards ; in very old animals they become worn by 

 mutual friction. The incisors become indented by wear on their 

 sides and tops, the latter caused possibly by friction in the act 

 of jerking the head to break off foliage in browsing. The condi- 

 tion of the teeth of the animal between four and six years of age 

 renders him little fit for grazing and certainly unfit for active 

 service {Veterinary Journal, Vol. xi. Page 244). 



The following is the best routine Method of Examinhig a Camel 

 as to Fitness for Transport Service : — 



(a). Determine age. 



(6). Height. 



(r). Condition and general state of health (especially freedom 

 from pregnancy). 



(c/). Strength, as shown by rising and sitting down under a 

 fair load without undue trembling. 



