450 THE ONE-HUMPED CAMEL. 



southern province. The appearance of the hump of the camel, 

 it should be borne in mind, is liable to vary according to the 

 condition of the animal 5 for it consists of soft fatty matter, 

 which is largely secreted when the animal is well fed, but 

 becomes absorbed into the system in the absence of fodder and 

 pasturage. The species to which the following observations 

 refer is the one-humped camel, ordinarily called in natural 

 histories the dromedary ; but the Asiatics and Africans do not 

 apply the latter term to all of this species, but merely to a light 

 and very swift breed of it, and which is used for riding. The 

 ordinary breed of camels may be compared to our heavy 

 horses ; but the dromedary, strictly so called, may to be com- 

 pared to the hunter, or even the racer. As a dromedary, or 

 swift camel, may be of either of the two species, the practice 

 of compilers always calling the one -humped camel the drome- 

 dary, creates confusion, especially in reading travels where 

 the word is discriminately used. The Hebrews call the camel, 

 gamal ; the Arabs djemal ; but a swift camel, or dromedary, 

 they call el herie. 



The outward appearance of the camel is so well known in our 

 country, to which many have been brought, and even led for 

 exhibition about our streets, that a minute description of its 

 exterior is unnecessary - } but there are some peculiarities which 

 must not be omitted. " The camel has seven callosities, upon 

 which he throws the weight of his body, both in kneeling down 

 and rising up. There is one on the breast, two on each of the 

 fore-legs, and one on each of the hind. He sleeps always with 

 his knees bent under his body, and his breast upon the ground. 

 Gibbon and some naturalists have regarded these callosities 

 as mere corns, resulting from servitude, but Professor Santi 

 saw the whole seven on a camel but just born ; and he does not 

 think they are the hereditary effect of the labour to which the 

 species has been subjected for centuries. Neither does he think 

 the hump on the back is the result of constant pressure upon 

 that part. The animal kneels down to receive its load, and it 

 rests meanwhile on these callosities, which protect the skin 



