MAMMALIA. 
136 
The Bactrian or Two-humped Camel (C. bactrianus, Lin.), — originally from Central Asia, and which descends 
much less to the south than 
The Arabian or One-humped Camel (C. dromedarius, Lin.), which is spread from Arabia into all the noii;h of . 
Africa, and great part of Syria, Persia, &c. i 
The first is the only one employed in Turkostan, Thibet, &c. ; and is sometimes led as far as Lake Baikal. The | 
second is well known, in consequence of the necessity of employing it in crossing the great Desert, being the only 
means of communication between the countries on its borders. 
The Two-humped Camel walks less painfully than the other on humid ground ; and is also larger and stronger. ‘ 
Previous to renewing its coat it sheds the whole of its hair. It is the One-humped Camel that is the most abste- 
mious. The Dromedary is merely a lighter variety of it, better fitted for expedition. 
The flesh and milk of the Camel serve for food, and its hair for garments, to the people who possess it. In rocky 
or stony countries both species are useless. [Buflfon considered the humps and callous pads on the legs of these 
animals as marks of servitude : on the contrary, they are admirable instances of direct adaptation to their indi- 
genous locality. The enlargement and convex soles of their feet are expressly fitted for treading on loose yielding 
sand ; and their humps are provisions of superabundant nutriment, which are gradually absorbed and disappear 
on the occasion of a scarcity of other food, as is particularly observed at the end of a long journey. By resting on 
their callosities, they are enabled to lie down and repose on a scorching surface ; and finally, the abundant supply 
of fluid in their stomach is too obvious a provision, in reference to their peculiar requirements, to need even this 
passing allusion.] 
The Lamas {Auchenia, Illiger), — 
Have their two toes separate, and are without humps. Only two clearly distinct species are known, 
both from the New World, and much smaller than the preceding. 
The Lama, which, in its wild state, is termed Guanaco {Camelus llacma, Lin.).-— As large as a Stag, with dense 
hair of a chestnut-colour, but varying when the animal is domesticated^ It was the only beast of burden which the 
Peruvians possessed at the time of the conquest. It can carry a hundred and fifty pounds, but can only make 
short journeys. The Alpaca is a variety with long woolly hair. 
The Vicugna {Cam. vicunna, Lin.).— Size of a Sheep, and covered with fulvous wool, of admirably fine texture, 
and of which valuable stuffs are manufactured. [The Lamas are mountain animals, peculiar to the Andes. 
M. Ale. d’Orbigny, who has long resided in their native country, distinguishes four species of them, viz., the 
Lama and Alpaca, which have been completely reduced to servitude, and the Guanaco and Vicugna, which con- 
stantly refuse to copulate with the others. 
The bones of an animal related to the Lamas, but which must have equalled the Camels of the eastern hemi- 
sphere in stature, and which had three toes to the fore-feet, have lately been recovered by Mr.Danvin in Paraguay: 
the Macrauchenia, Owen], 
The Musks {MoseJms, Lin.), — 
Are very much less anomalous than the Camels, differing only from ordinary Ruminants in the absence 
of horns, by a long canine on each side of the upper jaw, which projects beyond the mouth in the 
males, and lastly, by having a slender peronseum, which is not present even in the Camel. They are 
remarkable for their elegance and lightness. 
The Pouched Musk {M. moschiferus, Lin.), is the most celebrated species. Size that of a Roe, and almost 
without tail ; it is completely covered with hairs, so coarse and brittle that they might almost be termed spines : 
what particularly distinguishes it, however, is the pouch situate before the prepuce of the male, which contains 
an odorous substance, well known in medicine and perfumei'y by the appellation mush. This species appears con- 
fined to that rugged and rocky region from which most of the Asiatic rivers descend, and which extends between 
Siberia, China, and Thibet. Its habits are nocturnal and solitary, and timidity extreme. It is in Thibet and 
Tonquin that it yields the best musk ; that of the north being almost inodorous. [The difference more probably 
arises from the amount of adulteration, which is practised to a vast extent.] 
The other Musks have no musk-pouch, [and constitute the Tragulus of Bennett]. They inhabit the warm parts 
of the eastern hemisphere, and are the smallest and most elegant of the Ruminantia. Such are M. pygmeeus. 
Buff. ; M. memina, Schreb. ; and M.javanicus, Buff. 
All the other Ruminants, at least of the male sex, have two horns ; that is to say, two pro- 
minences of the frontal bones, more or less long, which occur in no other group of animals. 
In some, these prominences are covered with an elastic sheath, formed as it were of agglu- 
tinated hair, which continues to increase by layers during life. The name of horn is applied 
to the substance of this sheath, and the sheath itself is termed the core. The pro- 
minence which it envelopes grows with it during life, and never falls. Such are the horns of 
cattle, as Oxen, Sheep, Goats, and Antelopes. 
In others, the prominences are only covered with a hairy skin, continuous with that of the g 
head : these prominences do not fall ; and the Giraffes afford the only example. 
