BREEDING 113 



the mental will follow. The simplest way of effecting 

 this is to adopt every possible means of producing 

 superior breeds, in conjunction with a humaner and 

 better style of treatment. We may treat him as well 

 as we do the horse, but we can never take him on the 

 same footing, for he is not a sympathetic or a lovable 

 beast, and, what is more, never will be. Nature is 

 responsible for this, for Nature has been unkind to the 

 camel in evolving a form so ungainly and so devoid of 

 feeling ; while man, not from inhumanity, but as an 

 instrument, has materially assisted. But there is no 

 reason that I can see why, after a certain period of 

 close and constant touch with him under the new 

 regime, he the riding camel specially should not 

 evoke our sympathy at all events. 



The camel in proportion to his size should be a Degenera- 

 greater weight-carrier. But in proportion to his height camel 

 he requires more depth and breadth, and greater mus- 

 cular development, especially in his hind quarters, 

 and that he has degenerated in these respects I think 

 quite probable. Bearing in mind that he is specially 

 adapted to barren wastes, where an acute instinct 

 would seem indispensable to enable him to track water 

 or pasture, we find that he is singularly deficient in 

 mental qualities. 



It is a recognised fact that the offspring of devital- General 



. . . causes of 



ised parents have detective mental vigour, while in those degenera- 

 of overworked parents the physical development is animals 

 insufficient, consequently the higher control centres of 

 the brain attain imperfect growth. While on this 

 topic there is one question that requires a careful and 

 exhaustive examination, because it is one that we are 



i 



