THE CAMEL 107 



joints are adapted to this position. This Camel is kept throughout 

 the hot, dry, and barren districts of Africa and Asia ; and he is 

 especially fitted for such countries ; in fertile districts, where the Horse 

 and Ox can be employed for the same work, he is of comparatively 

 little use ; and he is extremely destructive to trees and shrubs, devour- 

 ing branches as thick as a man's little finger. His docility and patience 

 have been rather over-rated ; he is really a rather ill-conditioned 

 animal, given to biting very severely and to grumbling, gurgling, and 

 growling, not only at the proverbial " last straw," but at the first. In 

 the breeding season the bull Camel is positively dangerous, and at this 

 time he blows out a red bladder from his throat, to the accompaniment 

 of a bubbling noise. 



The female produces one calf at a time, which is able to follow 

 her immediately, but is suckled for the whole of its first year. 



Camels are, as is well known, chiefly employed as pack-animals, 

 and will carry a load up to five hundred pounds, but they are 

 also employed to a limited extent for purposes of draught. They 

 are never bitted, but controlled by a ring through the nose. For 

 many years past they have been much employed in Australia, a 

 country for which they are peculiarly well suited. They are very sure- 

 footed on almost any sort of ground, being as good at hill-climbing 

 as in marching over the level desert, though they do not like really 

 loose sand more than any other creatures. They are very awkward 

 swimmers, being apt to overbalance in the water, and their long loose 

 limbs are apt to slip laterally, and get dislocated in marshy ground 

 so much so that if they have to be taken over such country, it is 

 usual to tie their hocks together. Yet Camels brought up in marshy 

 land will be accomplished " bog-trotters," and it is a curious fact that 

 these desert creatures have run wild in the Spanish marshes, where 

 they wade about like so many quadruped Flamingoes. 



Both the meat and milk of Camels are utilised by the Arabs, and 

 their woolly hair is used for the manufacture of cloth, while their 

 bones are valuable for inlaying work, being nearly as dense as 

 ivory. 



