CAMELS WITH SOUTH AFGHAN EXPEDITION, 1878-9. 70l 
reasoning is required to recognise him as a beast of burden 
especially designed for certain localities, and to stamp him as 
the “ ship of the desert.” It will be seen, as we proceed, 
how far he is capable of serving us when under different 
conditions. With the general appearance of the camel all 
are familiar; the long neck, prodigious hump, gawky legs, 
and patient expression of countenance, with a really beautiful 
prominent eye, are remarkable; the very great disparity in 
muscular development between the fore and hind limbs, to 
the disadvantage of the latter, claims especial notice, and, as 
may be anticipated, anatomists find that the hind quarters 
are equally deficient in nervous supply; to this want of power 
behind we trace the inadaptability of the animal for climbing 
hills, and who has ever seen the camel attempt more than the 
very mildest jump ? It. would appear that the male is unable 
to support himself on his two hind legs even during sexual 
connection, for this office is performed in a semi-recumbent 
position. Camels are ruminants, but exceptional ones, and 
may be classed between Ruminantia and Pachydermata. As 
readily recognisable instances of their differing from ordinary 
ruminants, the facts of their having two incisor teeth in the 
upper jaw, the possession of canine teeth both in upper and 
lower, and the presence of two pre-molars in upper and two 
in lower may be here mentioned, and other deviations will be 
subsequently noticed. The wedge-shaped teeth of the lower 
jaw are evidently adapted for browsing on shrubby plants, 
and their dental arrangement altogether indicates that they 
are naturally wholly herbivorous. The senses of sight and 
smell are very acute; here the prominent eye comes into 
play, and by the care with which the selection of such food 
as camel-thorn, pipgal, burgot, &c., is made, and mudar, 
ganjha, euphorbium, &c., are rejected, we observe that 
delicate appreciation of wholesome diet by means of the 
olfactory powers which strongly argues against the pro¬ 
bability of camels voluntarily eating poisonous herbs, as was 
suspected by some when the mortality was so great at Quetta; 
indeed, an intelligent Serwan whom I consulted as to the 
possibility of a poisonous plant called “ ateri ” being acci¬ 
dentally consumed, informed me that it was an absolute fact 
that it, and such plants, were carefully avoided; he admitted 
this plant being given medicinally, combined with salt, in 
cases of flatulence. The cloven foot is usually a charac¬ 
teristic of ruminants, but in the camel there is a very dif¬ 
ferent pedal arrangement. We certainly observe two short 
toes with separate hoofs, but these more nearly resemble toe¬ 
nails ; the feet are resting upon elastic pads or cushions 
