BREEDING 123 



to part with their working animals, are tempted by the 

 price, which on these occasions is twice or three times 

 the market value, to sell. I have seen it stated that 

 the proportion of females to males should not exceed 

 one-third. From an ordinary point of view I see no 

 reason for this, because they carry quite as well as 

 males, though they are rather more uncertain, and at 

 times more inclined to be unmanageable. From a 

 breeding point of view, however, the smaller the propor- 

 tion is the better, I should imagine, and no female which 

 is fruitful ought on any account to be worked at all. 



Great mortality among newly-born camels up to Great 



J mortality 



four years old, generally put down at 50 per cent., has among 

 already been casually mentioned in connection with camels 

 the importation of a small batch of camels which were 

 first taken to New York and finally to Nevada, where 

 a pair are said in about eighteen years to have produced 

 as many as ninety-six camels, all of which survived. 

 As one who is deeply interested in this subject I should 

 like very much to learn the exact history of these 

 particular camels, as it would bear me out in a theory 

 which I formed many years ago, in entire ignorance 

 as to the very existence even of camels in America, 

 that with great care and attention this excessive 

 mortality could be reduced to a minimum. As far as 

 I can see, there are only three causes that can account 

 directly for this excess viz. (1) Because the mothers 

 are worked during gestation, and too soon after ; (2) the 

 calves are weaned too soon ; (3) and worked too young. 



It is said that a female should not be worked within First 

 three months before bringing forth, and the same time 

 afterwards should be given them to regain their strength, 



