1846.] Rough Notes on the Zoology of Candahar. 167 



belief, that neither the one nor the other camel exists wild at present, 

 or has done so since the flood of Noah. The late Sir A. Burnes, with 

 whom I corresponded on such subjects, replied to one of my last letters 

 as follows : " Caubul, 25th May, 1841. I have never seen or heard of 

 the camel being wild, nor do I credit the report if from Moorcroft ; but 

 that the animal, at some time or other, must have been, like all other ani- 

 mals, in a state of nature is clear, though certainly not in the historical 

 era : the natives all say the same." This was written in answer to 

 repeated inquiries from me regarding the existence of wild camels in 

 the northern Steppes ; and Sir A. Burnes, after a careful examination of 

 all who were likely to throw any light upon the subject, came to the 

 only conclusion that any one can arrive at, namely, that neither species 

 has been known to Postdiluvian man, in a state of freedom. 



This species (C. dromedarius) is not only useful as a beast of burthen 

 to travel with merchandise, but yields a soft and durable wool, which is 

 converted into cloth. In the valley of Pisheen, I have likewise seen them 

 yoked together in the plough, and compelled to till the ground. 



No. 51. Camelus bactrianus. — Two- humped camel. " Bagdad-i," of 

 Afghans. 



This animal is too impatient of heat to undergo even the climate of 

 Candahar for more than a year or two. His true habitat is in the 

 Khuzzak country; he is found in cafilahs which journey to the south, 

 but is not kept in Afghanistan. While this two-humped species cannot 

 undergo the heats of the south, the dromedary on the other hand can- 

 not endure the rigours of the north. To obviate the inconvenience which 

 might arise from this circumstance, the Afghans, or rather the tribes of 

 the northern Steppes, have produced a crossed breed between the two 

 animals, which is enormously powerful and of large stature. Its gene- 

 ral appearance varies according as the dam has been a camel or a dro- 

 medary, and it is asserted, that if the hybrid animal is born in the 

 northern Steppes its constitution unfits it for a continued residence in a 

 hot country, while on the other hand, if born in a warm climate, it cannot 

 endure a great degree of cold. This circumstance is worth attending 

 to, since I heard of several persons, who were anxious to introduce the 

 hybrid into India, in order to strengthen our dromedaries. The cross 

 however, should be obtained from the camel and female dromedary, 

 and the produce be born in our own provinces, if the assertion of the 

 Afghans is to be relied on. I do not think, however, that any good 



