42 THE CAMEL. 



rarely treads on the smallest article. The nos- 

 trils are fringed with long hairs, and provided 

 with sphincters, which enable the animal to 

 close them, and thus to exclude insects and the 

 sand with which the desert winds are so often 

 charged, while the hairs, to a considerable ex- 

 tent, perform the same office during the occa- 

 sional partial opening of the apertures, required 

 for respiration. . The Bedouins understand the 

 value of a wide nostril as well as a Newmarket 

 jockey, and they frequently slit the nose of the 

 animal in such a way as to give each aperture 

 the form of a Y. The slitting of the nostrils 

 is a common preparation for a race ; and I once 

 saw this absurd operation performed upon a 

 dozen young dromedaries, which were to con- 

 tend for the prize on the following day. 



The camel is provided with seven callosities, 

 which receive the shock of his fall in lying clown 

 for repose, or at the command of his master for 

 the convenience of mounting and dismounting, 

 loading and unloading, and the weight of the 

 body is supported by them when at rest. One 

 of these is upon the breast nearly between the 

 fore legs, two upon each of the fore and one 

 upon each of the hinder legs. The callosities 

 upon the breast and at the knees are evidently 

 organic, as they consist of a horny substance 

 and are found in the foetus. The others appear 



