136 MAMMALIA. 



The Bactrian or Two-humped Camel (C. hactriduus, Lin.),— Oiiiifinally from Central Asia, and >vhich descends 

 much less to the south than 



The Arabian or One-humped Camel (C. dromedariiis, Lin.), which is spread from Arabia into all the no'-th of 

 Africa, and great part of Syria, Persia, &c. 



The first is the only one employed in Turkostan, Thibet, &c. ; and is sometimes led as far as Lake Baikal. The 

 second is well known, in consequence of the necessity of employing it iu crossing- the great Desert, being the only 

 mfeans of communication between the countries on its borders. 



The Two-humped Camel walks less painfully than the other on humid ground ; and is also larger and stronger. 

 Previous to renewing its coat it sheds the whole of its hair. It is the One-humped Camel that is the most abste- 

 mious. The Dromedary is merely a lighter variety of it, better fitted for expedition. 



The tlesh and milk of the Camel serve for food, and its hair for garments, to the people who possess it. In rocky 

 or stony countries both species are useless. [Butfon considered the humps and callous pads on the legs of these 

 animals as marks of servitude : on the contrary, they are admirable instances of direct adaptation to their indi- 

 genous locality. The enlargement and convex soles of their feet are expressly fitted for treading on loose yielding 

 sand ; and their humps are provisions of superabundant nutriment, which are gradually absorbed and disappear 

 on the occasion of a scarcity of other food, as is particularly observed at the end of a long journey. By resting on 

 their callosities, they are enabled to lie down and repose on a scorching surface ; and finally, the abundant supply 

 of fluid in their stomach is too obvious a provision, in reference to their peculiar requirements, to need even this 

 passing allusion.] 



The Lamas {Auchenia, Illiger), — 



Have their two toes separate, and are without humps. Only two clearly distinct species are known, 

 both from the New World, and much smaller than the preceding. 



The Lama, which, in its wild state, is termed Guanaco (Cameliis llacma, Lin.).— As large as a Stag, with dense 

 hair of a chestnut-colour, but varying when the animal is domesticated. It was the only beast of burden which the 

 Peruvians possessed at the time of the conquest. It can carry a hundred and fifty pounds, but can only make 

 short journeys. The Alpaca is a \fariety with long woolly hair. ' 



The Vicugna (Caw. OTciwnrt, Lin.).— Size of a Sheep, and covered with fulvous wool, of admirably fine te.xture, 

 and of which valuable stuffs are manufactured. [The Lamas are mountain animals, peculiar to the Andes. 

 M. Ale. d'Orbi^ny, who has long resided in their native country, distinguishes four species of them, viz., the 

 Lama and Alpaca, which have been completely reduced to servitude, and the Guanaco and Vicugna, which con- 

 stantly refuse to copulate with the others. 



The bones of an animal related to the Lamas, but which must have equalled the Camels of the eastern hemi- 

 sphere in stature, and which had three toes to the fore-feet, have lately been recovered by Mr.Danvinin Paraguay: 

 the Macrauchenia, Owen] 



The jMusks (Moschus, Lin.), — 



Are very much less anomalous than the Camels, differing only from ordinary Ruminants in the absence 

 of horns, by a long canine on each side of the upper jaw, which projects beyond the mouth in the 

 males, and lastly, by having a slender peronseum, which is not present even in the Camel. They are 

 remarkable for their elegance and lightness. 



The Pouched Musk (M. mosckifcrus, Lin.), is the most celebrated species. Size that of a Roe, and almost 

 without tail ; it is completely covered with hairs, so coarse and brittle that they might almost be termed spines : 

 what particularly distinguishes it, however, is the pouch situate before the prepuce of the male, which contains 

 an odorous substance, well known in medicine and perfumery by the appellation musk. This species appears con- 

 fined to that rugged and rocky region from which most of the Asiatic rivers descend, and which extends between 

 Siberia, China, and Thibet. Its habits are nocturnal and solitary, and timidity extreme. It is in Thibet and 

 Tonquin that it yields the best musk; that of the north being almost inodorous. [The difference more probably 

 arises from the amount of adulteration, which is practised to a vast extent.] 



The other Musks have no musk-pouch, [and constitute the Trapuhis of Bennett]. They inhabit the warm parts 

 of the eastern hemisphere, and are the smallest and most elegant of the Rimiuantia. Such are M. pi/gnueus, 

 Buff. ; M. memina, Schreb. ; and M.javanicus, Buff. 



All the other Ruminants, at least of the male sex, have two Jiorns ; that is to say, two pro- 

 minences of the frontal bones, more or less long, which occur in no other group of animals. 



In soine, these prominences are covered v^'ith an elastic sheath, formed as it were of agglu- 

 tinated hair, which continues to increase by layers during life. The name of horn is applied 

 to the substance of this sheath, and tlie sheath itself is termed the core. The pro- 

 minence which it envelopes grows with it during life, and never falls. Such are the horns of 

 cattle, as Oxen, Sheep, Goats, and Antelopes. 



In others, the prominences are only covered with a hairy skin, continuous with that of the 

 head : these prominences do not fall ; and the Giraffes afford the only example. 



