A USEFUL ANIMAL 



Camels are not only valued by the Somali as 

 beasts of burden, but also because they provide him 

 with meat and clothing, and also milk. The flesh, 

 though generally not much appreciated by Europeans, 

 is much liked by them, and resembles veal. From 

 the hump they obtain a considerable quantity of lard, 

 which they use both in cooking rice, when they have 

 any, and in preparing " buni " when "ghee" is un- 

 obtainable. The females yield a considerable quantity 

 of milk over and above that required to feed their 

 young, and this takes the place of water, and often ot 

 food, when the camel herders are far out in the 

 desert. Although the milk is rich, no butter can be 

 made from it. 



The average length of a camel's life is forty to 

 fifty years. 



The females begin breeding in their fourth year, 

 and a foal is born every alternate year, the period 

 of gestation being eleven months, according to 

 Mr. R. Lydekker, or one year and twenty days 

 according to Dr. R. E. Drake-Brockman. 



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