36 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [16:1— Jan., 1920 



Camel's milk, though bitter because of the wormwood which it 

 eats, forms the staple diet of thousands of Arabians, and the 

 cheese made from the milk is palatable and wholesome. The flesh 

 though coarse, is good for food, and much used. 



The poor camel is, however, in spite of his many good points a 

 rather disagreeable beast. It issulky, vicious, and stupid. Camels 

 often cry out angrily when receiving their loads, bite !and kick, 

 and often nip the man who is their passenger when he is off his 

 guard. The drivers are often as ugly and cruel and ignorant as 

 the poor camels, and treat them with great harshness. Perhaps 

 this accounts for their vicious tempers. Certainly they look wise 

 and kingly and sober enough when we see them marching with 

 such dignity in the circus parades. 



Camels were introduced into the United States in 1850, during 

 the time of the rush of gold seekers to California. It was hoped 

 that they might be used to carry vsupplies across the plains. They 

 proved unsatisfactory, however, because of their ugliness and bad 

 tempers. 



THE LLAMA 



The llama is first cousin to the camel, which it resembles, but 

 is smaller and has no hump. Its native habitat is the mountainous 

 regions of Peru and Chili, where it lives at altitudes from eight to 

 twelve thousand feet. If forced to live at lower altitudes it suffers 

 and dies. 



Llamas are small creatures, measuring three feet in height at 

 the shoulders, and about four and a half feet to the top of the head. 

 They are of various colors, white, brown, black, or a mixture of 

 these. Like the camels they carry their heads erect on rather 

 long, curved necks. 



The Llama is a beast of burden. It has been domesticated 

 for many centuries, and is not now found in the wild state, as are 

 its near cousins the alpaca and the vicunia. These pack animal 

 pass back and forth between the mountain metal mines and the 

 coast, loaded with ore, or bars of metal, and return with salt and 

 other provisions. Each llama can carry a load of about 120 

 pounds, and if the load is heavier they frequently lie down and 

 refuse to move until the burden is lightened. They are lead in 

 companies of sometimes 1,000 or more, by a few pictursquely 

 costumed Imdians, over the native trails. To some extent 



