22 THE CAMEL 



which converge towards one another, with the extremities 

 elevated, the upper one being capable of expansion or 

 even contraction at will. This is another of Nature's 

 wise provisions, and the reason is plain to exclude the 

 fine sand and other particles which are blown about in 

 the desert by the frequent sand storms, which would 

 cause intense irritation in the respiratory passages of 

 the throat. When overtaken by a simoom the camel 

 drops on his knees, stretches out his neck, and closes 

 his nostrils tight until the storm blows over. 



The upper lip is hairy, thickened, and divided, is 

 extremely extensile, and slightly prehensile. It is used 

 while browsing, on thorny shrubs in particular, as a 

 feeler, to touch and examine the leaves before nibbling 

 them ; and it has invariably been a source of wonder to 

 me how dexterously he always avoids being pricked or 

 scratched by the thorn. 



Teeth j n the upper jaw he has twelve molars on each side, 



but they are not all continuous. In front of these, 

 and separated by a good space, is one pre-molar ; while 

 before these, again, and with a small interval, is a 

 canine, large, strong, and pointed. He has four incisors, 

 but the two central are only small milk teeth, which he 

 sheds when rising five years old. The remaining two 

 lateral ones being permanent, and resembling canines 

 in shape, become full grown at six years ; they are 

 conical and laterally compressed. 



In the lower jaw he has ten molars, but, as in the 

 upper, not all continuous, with one similar detached 

 pre-molar and one canine ; while he has six incisors, 

 compressed, oblique and pointed. Thus it will be seen 

 that he has two pre-molars and two canines in each jaw. 



