51 
The large Alligator {Alligator mississippiensis) is generally 
to be seen during warm weather in one of the compartments 
of this Creek, either sunning himself on the bank or sub- 
merged in the water, nothing being visible but the tips of the 
ridges over the eye and the protuberance around the nostrils 
on the extreme end of the snout. This species is found in 
the rivers and bayous of the Gulf States, and is allied to the 
crocodile and gavial of Egypt and Southern Asia, and the 
caiman and jacare of South America. One species of Croc- 
odile ( Crocodilus americanus) is also found in South America 
and Cuba. 
No. i6.— THE CAMEL, ELK, AND 
BUFFALO PENS. 
The Bactrian, or Double-humped Camel {Camelus bac- 
trianus), and the Common Camel, or Dromedary {Camelus 
dromedarius), are both originally natives of Asia, where they 
now exist only under the subjection of man. The Bactrian 
Camel comes from the high, cold plains of Tartary, and is a 
more compact and powerful beast than the Dromedary, which 
comes from the warmer climate of Arabia, and is lighter and 
more fleet of foot. They are much used in the sandy deserts 
of Arabia and Northern Africa — nature having specially fitted 
their feet, like those of the ostrich, to the loose soil on which 
they walk, and also having provided them with a means of 
traveling for several days without requiring a fresh supply of 
water, part of the walls of the stomach supporting a double 
tissue, filled with cells, which absorb from the stomach a 
quantity of water sufficient to remain for some days as a reser- 
voir, from which the necessities of the animal may be sup- 
plied. A number of Camels were imported by the United States 
Government, some years ago, with the idea of making them 
available in military operations in the West j but owing to the 
stony nature of much of the soil, for which their feet are not 
adapted, the experiment was not altogether successful. Those 
in the Garden are descended from this imported stock. 
Fossil remains of members of the Camelidce have been 
found in the United States, thus proving that they were once 
indigenous to the country. 
