ARABIAN CAMEL. 



Though the Camel has even an elegant and pic- 

 turesque appearance, in some particular attitudes, 

 yet its general aspect, at first sight, is apt to im- 

 press on the mind the idea of deformity ; and the 

 dorsal bunch in particular has the appearance of 

 some accidental monstrosity, rather than a truly 

 natural conformation. This idea seems to have 

 operated so powerfully on the mind of Buffon, 

 that he has not scrupled to advance an opinion, 

 that this part, as well as the pectoral bunch, was 

 originally produced by ill usage, in constantly 

 loading the animal with heavy burthens; and that, 

 having once arisen, it has been transmitted by de- 

 scent, and continues to form a permanent charac- 

 ter. In confirmation of this theory he obsei 

 that from the attestations of those who have dis- 

 sected the Camel, it appears that these parts are 

 often filled with a quantity of pus ; the effect of 

 previous inflammation. Upon the same principle 

 he also conceives that the remarkable structure of 

 the stomach, which is furnished with a peculiar 

 apparatus of cells or receptacles for containing a 

 great quantity of water, has originated from a 

 similar source; " the animal, after suffering thirst 

 for a long time, by taking as much, or perhaps 

 more, water than the stomach could easily con- 

 tain, the membrane would be gradually extended 

 and dilated, in the same manner as we have seen 

 the stomach of a sheep extend in proportion to 

 the quantity of its aliment." The Count de Buf- 

 fon, however, allows that these conjectures would 

 be either fully confirmed, or destroyed, if we 



