THE RUMINANT OEDEE. 227 



Riuninants are divided into two families — the Camels aud the 

 Common Ruminants. 



The Camel Family. — This family comprehends the two genera 

 of Camel and Llama. 



Camels. — Linnffius, and with him most modern naturalists, admit 

 of two distinct species in the Camel genus ; the Camel proper, 

 which has two humps on its back, and the Dromedary, which has 

 only one. 



The individuals of the Camel genus have a small and strongly- 

 arched head. Their ears are slightly developed, stiU their sense 

 of hearing is excellent. Their eyes, which have oblong and 

 horizontal pupils, are projecting and gentle in expression, and are 

 protected by a double eyelid. Their power of sight is very great. 

 Their nostrils are situated at some distance from the extremity 

 of the upper lip, and, externally, appear only two simple slits in 

 the skin, which the animal can open or shut at will. No trace is 

 found, round the nostrils of the Camel, of the glandular body 

 which forms the muzzle in other Ruminants, and attains such 

 development in the Ox. Their upper lip is split down the centre, 

 and the two halves are susceptible of various and separate move- 

 ments. These constitute a very delicate organ of feeling. Thej- 

 are also possessed of an extremely acute sense of smell. 



This remarkable head is carried with a certain degree of nobility 

 and dignity on a somewhat long neck, which, when the animal 

 moves slowly, describes a graceful arched curve. 



Their peculiar body, made more remarkable by the one or two 

 humps on its back, is supported on four long legs, which appear 

 slender in comparison with the mass they bear. 



In the Camel proper the colour of the coat is chestnut-brown, 

 more or less dark. The hair grows to a considerable length, and 

 becomes rather curly on the humps and about the neck. Below 

 the neck it forms a fringe, which descends over the fore-legs. 



The Dromedary, which is less massive in form and smaller in 

 size than the Camel, has a coat of brownish- grey, more or less 

 dark ; in some instances it is nearly bay. Its hair is soft, 

 wooUy, and moderately long, more especially about its hump and 

 neck. There are, however, peculiarities of coat characteristic_of 

 the different races. 



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