318 THE CAMEL 



teeth get gradually worn away, and the marks are 

 obliterated, so that you can only judge a camel's age 

 approximately, for of course the older he grows the 

 more worn away his teeth become. When he is in his 

 sixteenth or seventeenth year the hair on his tail, as a 

 rule, begins to turn white ; and when he has reached his 

 twentieth or twenty-first year the holes about his eyes 

 become very deep. Above all things, in dealing with 

 the oily Oriental, keep not only your weather eye, but 

 both eyes wide open, and be on the alert the whole 

 time, for the art of filing and disfiguring the teeth and 

 of deception in general is not unknown to them, and if 

 they can get rid of their most useless animals the 

 youngest and the oldest be sure they will. 

 TWO In examining the teeth to arrive at the age be very 



be 'noted* careful on two points, and be guided by them, viz. : 

 1st. Take into consideration the fact that, owing to the 

 rough quality of the food which camels are obliged to 

 eat, particularly in salt and sandy places, the marks are 

 frequently obliterated or worn out sooner than would 

 otherwise happen, so that an indication of the age 

 according to ordinary rules would often mislead one. 



2nd. Look well at the molars. If they are in a very 

 decayed state you may rightly conclude that the beast 

 is aged ; but if necessary you must take the above 

 point into consideration, and if doubtful look well at 

 the holes over his eyes, and at the hair about his rump. 

 In any case, however, it would be wiser to have nothing 

 to do with him, for without the molars he cannot 

 properly masticate his food. Consequently, even if in 

 fair condition at the time, hard work will soon reduce 

 and quickly dispose of him. 



