RUMINANTIA. 177 



into candles and soap, and their bones are in great request for 

 manure. Indeed, they seem to have been formed with the ex- 

 press design of ministering to man's comfort and welfare. They 

 inhabit the known world, with the exception of Australia. 



Define the term Ruminantia. What animals does the order include ? Is 

 the group well defined ? What exception is made ? Why are the hoofs of 

 this order termed bifurcate or bisulcate ? Upon what do these animals sub- 

 sist, and what peculiarly distinguishes them from all other animals ? De- 

 scribe in full the stomacR of a ruminant, pointing out the parts as you pro- 

 ceed, on plate VI. fig. 13. How does Cuvier divide the Ruminants? To 

 what species are the larger incisors confined ? What is the nature of their 

 food ? What their uses ? Where are they found ? 



Name the seven families of Cud-chewing animals on the Chart. Which 

 are without horns? Which have solid horns? Which hollow horns? 

 Which is the tallest? Which most useful for food? Which for clothing? 

 Which wild? Which domesticated? 



SECTION XXII. 



Camelida, (Gr. xafiylos, kamelos, a camel.) The CAMEL 

 TRIBE. 



This family of the Ruminants differ, in some respects, from 

 the others, forming a connecting link between them and the 

 Pachyderms, or thick skinned animals. They are without 

 horns; the hair inclines to be woolly; there are fleshy bosses, 

 or humps on the back ' These humps are of a firm, fatty con- 

 sistence, seeming like reservoirs of nutriment, being observed to 

 diminish from absorption, during long abstinence, but to increase 

 again when food becomes abundant." The eyes are large and 

 projecting ; the ears small. The Camels have canine teeth in 

 both jaws, and two incisors in the upper jaw, which are 

 wanting in other Ruminants. The lower incisor teeth are 

 six in number ; there are six molars on each side in the upper 

 jaw, and five in the lower. The anterior one takes the form of 

 an additional canine. This, however, is wanting in the Llamas. 

 The upper lip is swollen and cleft in the center, and has a power 

 of motion. It is used for feeling or examining the dry shrubby 

 food on which these animals mostly live, before it is conveyed to 

 the mouth. When in the midst of abundant pasture, they usu- 

 ally browse as much in an hour as serves them for ruminating 

 all night, and for supporting them during the next day. But 

 such pasturage they do not often find, and they are even thought 

 to prefer nettles, thistles, cassia and other prickly vegetables to 

 the softest herbage. They have seven callosities, or firm pads, 



