132 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OP ANIMALS. CHAP. V. 



precaution ; but if the chiefs recognise any danger, and 

 give an example of flight, they are instantly followed 

 by the entire troop." * The Camelopardalis, notwith- 

 standing its apparently unfavourable shape, runs with 

 great speed, and kicks as effectually as a horse. Mr. 

 Burchell, and all the African travellers who have seen 

 this animal, attest the difficulty with which it is ap- 

 proached. The defence of the camel is different : too 

 unwieldly 'to seek its safety by flight, it bites its ad- 

 versary, strikes with its fore feet, and kicks with its 

 hind. Major Smith cites an instance of the dreadful 

 bite of this animal which happened in India, where a 

 camel tore off the arm of a lad, whose person was with 

 difficulty rescued from the further grasp of the fero- 

 cious beast, which, when the victim was withdrawn, 

 stood in terrific exultation over the torn limb, not suf- 

 fering any one to approach it for some time. Of the 

 modes of defence possessed by the lamas, or sheep- 

 camels of South America (Anchenia}, very little is 

 known : they are probably mountain quadrupeds, pos- 

 sessing the climbing habits of goats. It is well known, 

 however, that such as are seen in confinement show 

 their dislike to certain individuals, by ejecting saliva 

 from their mouth ; but what may be the effect of this 

 indignant mode of warfare, we have not clearly ascer- 

 tained. 



(155.) The following account of a fight between an 

 Indian tiger and a domesticated buffalo is so applicable 

 to our present object of illustrating the defences of 

 animals, as displayed in different species, that we can- 

 not withhold it from the reader. These fights take 

 place in a large arena, securely fenced all round, and 

 to a considerable height, by a palisade of strong bam- 

 boos, above which are galleries adapted for the spec- 

 tators. " As soon as the tiger has been turned loose 

 into this place, the gates are closed, and a short time 

 is allowed him to look round and examine his new 

 situation. It is remarkable that, at this time, the 



* Griff. Cuv. vol. iii. p. 442. 



