144 THE CAMEL 



contained, the smaller the- water supply they want, But, 

 as I have just pointed out, the natives in the deserts, 

 even after the rains, when the pasturage is fresh and 

 green, water their camels daily, and this they do 

 because they take a sound, practical view of the ques- 

 tion, and consider that the moisture of the herbage is 

 insufficient, and does not refresh the animal as a drink 

 will, no matter how small. I should think, too, that in 

 spite of the saliva and mucous secretion, which assist 

 the camel in mastication, a certain amount of water is 

 absolutely necessary to give the digestive organs a 

 healthy, vigorous tone, as well as to enable them to 

 carry out their functions with beneficial results. 



There is no doubt that in the spring which in the 

 desert, practically speaking, follows the rains when 

 the herbage is young and succulent, or when, as often 

 happens, a heavy dew has fallen, camels can graze in 

 the early morning before the sun has dried it up, and 

 that they can go without water for a longer period 

 than in the dry season, when everything is parched 

 and burnt up, but not for weeks and weeks. Lieut. 

 Massoutier says that the camel can go twenty days 

 without water, if not worked. This, from the point of 

 view of a naturalist, is a most interesting fact. But 

 even supposing he can, for sake of argument, looking 

 at the matter in a purely practical light, what possible 

 object can be gained by this enforced abstinence ? 

 None whatever that I can see, especially if the animals 

 are not being put to any unnecessary exertion run- 

 ning free, in fact. Or, if there is no necessity, and 

 water happens to be plentiful, why deprive them ? On 

 the contrary, neither ourselves nor the animals are 



