Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . erruptedly. 514. Why are thecamel and the drom~edary9 so called? The Arabic verb fromwhich the name camel isderived, signifies to please*or to behave with kind-ness and humanity, and,in its application, has ref-erence to the docility ofthe animal. The Greekword from which thename of the dromedary isderived,- means swiftness,running; and has reference
Knowledge of natural history, revfrom Reason why: natural history, giving reasons for hundreds of interesting facts in connection with zoology; and throwing light upon the peculiar habits and instincts of the various orders of the animal kingdom . erruptedly. 514. Why are thecamel and the drom~edary9 so called? The Arabic verb fromwhich the name camel isderived, signifies to please*or to behave with kind-ness and humanity, and,in its application, has ref-erence to the docility ofthe animal. The Greekword from which thename of the dromedary isderived,- means swiftness,running; and has referenceto the speed of the beast. 515. Why are thecamel and dromedary fur-nished with callosities (orhardness of the skin); namely, one on the breast, and two on each side of the forelegs, and one on each side of the hind legs? They are thus endowed because they do not lie on theirsides, but rest and sleep with their knees bent under theirbodies, and their breast upon the ground; these parts re-quire to be particularly guarded and strengthened, to resistthe weight of the body, which is brought to bear, bothwhen the animal assumes its attitude of repose, and whenit rises up. 516. Why is the neck of the camel of great length,and extremely flexible?. KNOWLEDGE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 173 The trees, devouring caterpillars burn:Parchd was the grass, and blighted was the corn.—Dryden. Because this structure allows the animal to crop leavesfrom the tall trees upon which it feeds, and also to bendthe neck when drinking from springs, and other placeswhere water is found? 517. Why has the dromedary a hump upon its back?This hump is an accumulation of a peculiar species of fat, which is not liable to be acted upon by the great heatto which the animal is exposed. It consists chiefly ofstearine, or hard fat. It is, in fact, a store of nourishmentbeneficently provided against the day of want, to whichthe animal in a wild state is often exposed, and fromwhich he is not entirely exempted in a state of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1916
