314 THE CAMEL 



firmness of hind-quarters, (6) breadth in proportion to 

 height. Also to the absence of the following defects 

 viz. (1) shallowness of callosity under chest, (2) wide- 

 ness of chest, (3) skin of belly coming in folds, (4) 

 brushing, (5) leaning hump, (6) swelling in groin, (7) 

 a lump near shoulder, (8) mange, (9) thickening of 

 skin, accompanied by mange between fore legs and 

 outside of hind legs. 



And now a few remarks on some of the chief points 

 and defects will help in guiding the buyer. 



The hump A camel when in first-rate condition, as we have 

 seen in chapter i., has a round full hump, which falls 

 away when he fails in condition, and which is con- 

 sidered a bad sign; but do not forget the fact that 

 certain of the desert breeds have scarcely any hump, 

 but what little there is should be firm and hard ; so be 

 careful to examine this feature, and the state of the 

 skin also, very minutely and closely. 



Leaning A camel with a leaning hump is apt to get a sore 



back far more easily than one with a full hump, and if 

 possible should be avoided. 



Height I cannot too strongly impress upon buyers the fact 



that the largest or tallest camels are by no means the best. 

 Height alone is no criterion, only consider height when 

 the camel is made in proportion. Short, deep-chested, 

 thick-set animals are the best weight-carriers. 



class of Shun a wide shallow-chested camel as you would 



avoid 81 the devil, and needless to say a narrow-chested one 

 likewise. These are signs of weakness, and a camel 

 with these serious defects is not up to hard or heavy 

 work. Always look for depth of chest, which is a 

 certain criterion of stamina and strength. See that the 



