MAMMALIA. 447 
They are large animals of the eastern continent, of which two species 
are known, both completely reduced to a domestic state in the hot 
regions of Africa and Asia. Wild camels are said to be found in central 
Asia. 
The two humped camel, C.bactrianus (pl. 108, fig. 1), is originally from 
central Asia, and descends much less to the south than the dromedary or 
one humped camel, C. dromedarius (fig. 2), which has spread from Arabia 
into all the north of Africa, a great part of Syria, Persia, &c. 
The remains of two fossil species of camels have been detected in Asia 
about the Sivalic Mountains. Others, but still doubtful, are from France, 
from the shores of the Red Sea, and South America, if the latter do not 
belong to the following genus. 
The genus Auwchenia differs from the preceding in being destitute of 
humps on the back. The legs are shorter than in the camel. The neck is 
long, more vertical. The ears and hoofs are long. The two toes are sepa- 
rated or not, united as in the camels by a callous sole. Five molars above 
and four below on each side. The actual species of this genus belong to 
the western continent exclusively, where they represent the camels of the 
eastern. They are confined to the mountainous regions of South America. 
The lama, A. lama (pl. 109, jig. 6), the most common of the species, is as 
large as a stag, and was already known at the time of the conquest of 
Peru by Pizarro in 1534, and indeed was the only domesticated animal, 
being for the inhabitants of that country what the reindeer is to the Lap- 
landers. The paco, A. alpaca (pl. 109, fig. 5), is a variety with long 
woolly hair. Another species, the vicunna, A. vicunna (pl. 109, fig. 7), is 
of the size of a sheep, covered with fawn-colored wool, extremely soft and 
fine, of which valuable stuffs are manufactured. 
Two fossil species, one of the size of a horse, the other smaller, have been 
discovered in the caverns of South America. 
The genus Merycotherium was established upon some molar teeth of the 
upper jaw, which, according to Cuvier, scarcely differs from the above 
genera. Only one species is known. Its remains were found in a fossil 
state in Siberia. 
Fam. 2. CameLoparpaLtip&#. Another eccentric type among ruminants, 
although not related so much to pachyderms as the camels are. This 
family contains but one single living genus, Camelopardalis, in which both 
sexes have conical horns, always covered with a hairy skin, and which are 
never shed. The lachrymal holes are wanting, as also the posterior hoofs 
and the canine teeth. It is one of the most remarkable forms in existence, 
from the length of its neck, the shortness of its body, and the dispropor- 
tionate height of its fore legs. The back is much inclined. The only 
living species known is the giraffe, C. girafa (pl. 108, fig. 3), which is 
confined to the deserts of Africa. Its hairs are short and grey, sprinkled 
with fawn-colored angular spots, and a small fawn-colored mane. It is the 
tallest of all animals, its head being frequently elevated eighteen feet from 
the ground. Its disposition is gentle, and it feeds upon leaves. 
Fossil remains of several species of this singular genus have been found 
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