162 a hand-book of the management of animals 



Treatment in health, 



Homing. — The camels are desert animals, and should have an 

 absolutely dry place to live in ; the kind of accommodation recommended 

 for a giraffe, but less elaborate and costly, will do extremely well for 

 these animals. They should be led about for an hour or two every day 

 or trained to carry children : exercise keeps them in health. The floor of 

 their shed should be thickly sanded. 



Food. — Camels appear to thrive best on hay and leaves, which may 

 now and then be supplemented by crushed food. They are fond of various 

 species of nim (meiia) and babul (minima) leaves, which may be given 

 dry or green. 



Treatment in sickness. 



In Lower Bengal camels become generally subject to various kinds 

 of skin diseases and superficial ulcers; to prevent or keep them in check, 

 perfect cleanliness of the body is indispensable. During the wet season, 

 when it is not judicious to bathe them often, they should be thoroughly 

 rubbed and groomed every day. The occasional application of sulphur 

 dust, even if there be no abrasion or ulceration, is beneficial ; it prevents 

 insects lodging in the hair and irritating the skin, causing them to rub 

 violently against anything. One of the Bactrian camels suffered from 

 and died of abscess of the liver, another became subject to paralysis of 

 the hind limbs > and while partially recovering from it hernia and pro- 

 lapsus ani supervened. Both of them were at first reduced, but the 

 former became at last unyielding, and the health of the animal having 

 by this time become much impaired, to put an end to its misery it was 

 killed. 



Observations on their habits. 

 Camels are uninteresting animals, being slow, lazy, and stupid. 



(218) THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

 (HIPPOPOTAMUS AMPHIBIUS— Linn.) 



An adult hippopotamus measures about 12 feet along the back. 

 The young animal exhibited in this garden was about three years old, 

 and did not exceed 3 feet and a few inches in length. 



Hab. — Widely distributed in the rivers and lakes of Africa. The 

 animal exhibited here was said to have been captured at Zimbaringo, 

 near Dara-e-Salam. 



Length of life in captivity. 

 From March 1886 to September 1887. 



Treatment in health. 



Hominy. — An enclosure, with a tank similar to that recommended 

 for the rhinoceros, is suitable for a hippopotamus also. The experience 



