DIGESTION. 199 



compartment, to which is attached a series of 

 cellular appendages ; (exhibited on a small scale, 

 in Fig. 315) : in these the water is retained by 

 strong muscular bands, which close the orifices 

 of the cells, while the other portions of the 

 stomach are performing their usual functions. 

 By the relaxation of these muscles, the water is 

 gradually allowed to mix with the contents of 

 the stomach, and thus the Camel is enabled to 

 support long marches across the desert without 

 receiving any fresh supply. The Arabs, who 

 traverse those extensive plains, accompanied by 

 these useful animals, are, it is said, sometimes 

 obliged, when faint, and in danger of perishing 

 from thirst, to kill one of their camels, for the 

 sake of the water contained in these reservoirs, 

 which they always find to be pure and wholesome. 

 It is stated by those who have travelled in Egypt, 

 that camels, when accustomed to go journeys, 

 during which they are for a long time deprived 

 of water, acquire the power of dilating the cells, 

 so as to make them contain a more than ordinary 

 quantity, as a supply for their journey.* 



When the Elephant, while travelling in very 

 hot weather, is tormented by insects, it has been 

 observed to throw out from its proboscis, directly 

 upon the part on which the flies fix themselves, 

 a quantity of water, with such force as to dislodge 



* Home, Lectures on Comparative Anatomy, vol. i. p. 171. 



