200 VERTEBRATA. MAMMALIA. 



Camelus,* the Camel. 



Departing most from the general formation, the 

 Camels shew some of the lingering characters of 

 the last Order. They have no horns, but have ca- 

 nine teeth ; the toes, united beneath by a spongy 

 pad, are free above, their extremities being enclosed 

 in small round hoofs, as in the Pachyderms. They 

 possess slight claims to personal beauty or elegance, 

 but in usefulness they yield to none. Adapted, 

 by the structure of their feet, for traversing im- 

 mense deserts of sand, the formation of the sto- 

 mach enables them to endure long abstinence from 

 both water and food. 



The Camels are distinguished by possessing large 

 bunches of granular fat on the back, which give 

 them a deformed appearance ; these appear to be re- 

 servoirs of nourishment, capable of being absorbed 

 into the system during long seasons of fasting. The 

 two species, the Bactrian and the Arabian, (C. Bac- 

 trianus and C. Dromedarius,) are distinguished, among 

 other characters, by the former having two of these 

 humps, the latter one. The former is less common, 

 being chiefly confined to Central Asia ; the latter 

 spreads over Southern Asia and North Africa, where 

 it is invaluable to the Mohammedan nations, as it af- 

 fords the only means of traversing the vast and track- 

 less deserts. The term Dromedary properly signi- 



* Its Greek and Latin name. 



