CHAPTER XVIII 
THE CAMEL TRIBE AND THE CHEVROTAINS 
BY W. P. PYCRAFT, A.L.S., F.Z.5. 
A WHITE CAMEL 
Ai light sandy is the common colour, though white, grey, brown, and 
black occur; but black camels are held by the Arabs to be worthless 
HE Camels and Llamas, constituting 
the present group, form a very dis- 
tinct section of the great assem- 
blage of animals known as the Ruminants, or 
Cud-chewers. The Camel Tribe are peculiar 
amongst the Ruminants in that they never 
possess horns, and in that the stomach is 
only divided into three instead of four com- 
partments —- this division into compartments 
being intimately connected with the ruminat- 
ing habit. Furthermore, the upper jaw 
bears cutting-teeth, or ‘front teeth,” as 
they are popularly called: though the full 
set (three pairs) is only complete in the 
young, in the adult but one pair remains,” 
the others being shed. The canine or * eye” 
teeth are also peculiar in their position, 
those of the lower jaw being separated from the cutting-teeth by a very considerable gap. 
In the structure of the feet the Camel Tribe are no less peculiar; indeed, it is on this 
character that the scientific name of the group is founded. Only two toes are present; these 
are of equal size, and, instead of being protected by hoofs, are provided with a hardened skin, 
covering a cushion-like pad, which expands when the weight of the body is thrown upon the 
foot, as in walking. This is an admirable adaptation for walking on soft and yielding sands. 
Hoofs are represented only by a pair of broad nails. 
The three-chambered stomach is remark- 
able because the chamber known as the 
‘‘paunch” lodges in its walls a large collec- 
tion of “ water-cells,” in which can be stored 
as much as a gallon and a half of water. 
This faculty of storing water is invaluable 
to an animal which has often to subsist for 
days on absolutely waterless deserts. 
Note the slit-like nostrils in the illus- 
tration of the Bactrian Camel on page 306. 
These can be closed at the will of the animal, 
a useful precaution against the entrance of 
sand during the violent sand-storms which 
often arise in the desert. 
The True Camels are distinguished by 
the possession of a hump or humps: there 
are never more than two. It is in these 
humps that the camel was popularly supposed 
sr Ss 
isi 
266 
Photo by Charles Knight 
ARABIAN CAMEL 
This individual belongs to the heavy breed employed for carrying 
merchandise and baggage 
