176 



CERVID.' 



-MAMMALIA. CAMELID.E. 



comfortably ; it is cleanly in its habits, and delicate in 

 the choice of food. The flesh affords an excellent 

 venison, which is often found on the tables of Euro- 

 peans. The natives eat the males, and always present 

 them in a conspicuous place in their feasts; but in 

 consequence of some peculiarities in the habits of the 

 females, they have an aversion to them as food." The 

 Muntjaks are monogamous, and when found in small 

 troops, the latter usually consist only of the members 

 of a single family. 



THE MUSK-DEER (Moschus Moschiferus) is an inha- 

 bitant of the elevated plains of Central Asia, extending 

 as far as the eastern provinces of China. It is about 

 the size of the roebuck, but unlike that species, stands 

 much higher on the haunches than at the shoulder. 

 One of the most distinguishing peculiarities, however, 

 arises out of the presence of a pair of long canines in 

 the upper jaw, which hi the males project outwards 

 below the chin. Another still more distinctive feature 

 consists in the presence of a glandular pouch in the 

 immediate vicinity of the navel. This occurs only in 

 the male ; it is about the size of a hen's egg, and con- 

 tarns an unctuous brown secretion, which is the musk 

 of commerce. A single gram of this substance is suffi- 

 ciently odorous to impregnate the atmosphere of an 

 ordinary room for several years, without apparently 

 diminishing in quantity ! The fur of the Musk-deer 

 varies much in colour ; it is more or less brownish, the 

 throat being white, with light bands on the sides of the 

 neck; whitish grey spots also occur along the lateral 

 parts of the body. The ears are long and narrow. The 

 feet are furnished with largely-developed spurious hoofs. 

 The tail is very short. Respecting the habits of this 

 animal, Pennant states that it is naturally shy and timid. 

 It frequents the most inaccessible rocks, and often suc- 

 ceeds in evading the hunter's skill. 



There are several other small kinds of Musk-deer, 

 such as the Napu (Tragulus Juvanicus} Plate 23, fig. 

 76 and the Peesoreh (Meminna Indica] ; these are 

 not furnished with the umbilical pouch. 



FAMILY VI. CAMELIDJE. 



The Camels differ from the typical ruminants in many 

 important particulars. They are entirely hornless; 

 then- most distinctive feature, however, consisting in the 

 presence of incisor teeth in the upper jaw. Altogether 

 they have thirty teeth ; eight incisors, one on either side 

 above and six below ; four canines and eighteen molars, 

 of which latter six are spurious. Another peculiarity 

 in this family is seen in the beautiful provision of 

 water-cells in the walls of the paunch of which full 

 particulars have already been given. The feet are 

 callous underneath, partially bisulcate, and furnished 

 with rudimentary hoofs, which only protect the upper 

 surface of the toes. Finally, from some other minor 

 characters, chiefly osteological, it is clearly evident that 

 the Camels make a decided approach towards the solid- 

 ungulate and pachydermatous types. 



THE DROMEDARY (Camelus Dromedarius), or ONE- 

 HUMPED CAMEL Plate 23, fig. 74 has been celebrated 

 from the earliest historic times ; and though no longer 

 known in the wild state, is still abundant in the East, 



forming an indispensable companion to the traveller as 

 he journeys over the wild sandy wastes of Egypt and 

 Arabia. Well may the Arabs call this creature the 

 " ship of the desert ; " for a more elegant or appropriate 

 title could not be devised. Bearing a heavy cargo of 

 goods to the extent of six hundred or even a thousand 

 pounds weight ; supporting a storehouse of noiirishment 

 in the form of a huge bundle of fatty matter on its back ; 

 supplied internally with an unfailing reservoir of thirst- 

 refreshing water ; armed with sole-protecting foot-pads, 

 hi the form of broad elastic cushions, which extend for 

 a considerable distance on either side of the toes ; the 

 camel, thus befittingly adapted for a toilsome journey, 

 moves at the bidding of his guide ; steers with unde- 

 viating course through the trackless paths of the sandy 

 plains, and sustains with ease and cheerfulness the 

 superabounding load! On rolls the blast with deso- 

 lating waves of scorching sand ; clouds of impalpable 

 dust rise high into the air, obliterating all trace of the 

 sunny sky; the suffocating wind threatens death to 

 man and beast ; the water-skins have parted with their 

 treasure, and dried under the effects of intolerable heat. 

 At length the storm has subsided, but the parched lips 

 only tell too truly that all must perish ! There is one 

 resource left at least such is the testimony of history. 

 To save his earthly lord the burdened beast must die. 

 The friend hi need who has pillowed his master's 

 head, and warmed his chilled frame at night must, at 

 the hour of death, supply the life-restoring draught; 

 thus imitating, as it were, the example of that nobler 

 sacrifice which has conferred imperishable blessings 

 upon mortal man ! In some cases, indeed, a dire fatal- 

 ity carries off the whole company of the akkabah or 

 caravan, such as happened in the year 1805, when no 

 less than two thousand persons and eighteen hundred 

 camels perished from the overwhelming fury of a ter- 

 rible simoom. In regard to the characters by which 

 the Dromedary is distinguished we need say little, as 

 the solitary hump is sufficiently distinctive. For food 

 the camel is contented with the poorest and driest of 

 prickly herbs, but the amount taken is exceedingly 

 moderate for so bulky an animal. In Europe these 

 animals are little employed ; but at Pisa, in Tuscany, a 

 stud has been kept up ever since the middle of the 

 seventeenth century; and there they breed freely. The 

 hide, fur, flesh, &c., of the Dromedary are employed 

 for various economic purposes, upon which it is need- 

 less to dwell. 



THE BACTRIAN CAMEL ( Camelus Badrianus) is an 

 inhabitant of Asiatic Turkey, Persia, and the elevated 

 plains to the north of the Himalaya mountains. It is 

 a comparatively rare species, but easily recognized by 

 its possessing two humps on the back. The Bactrian 

 camel is stout, thickset, and awkward-looking, and 

 varies very much hi colour, the fur being long and 

 shaggy, especially underneath the chin and throat. A 

 fine example is still living in the Zoological Society's 

 Menagerie, Regent's Park. 



THE LLAMA (Auchenia glama) or GtTANACO 

 Plate 23, fig. 75. Much diversity of opinion exists as 

 to whether two or more species of this genus are known. 

 Some, who follow Dr. J. E. Gray, believe that there 

 are four species ; but we incline to the persuasion that 



