Guide to the galleries of mammalia (mammalian, osteological, cetacean) in the Department of Zoology of the British Museum (Natural History).

  • British Museum (Natural History). Department of Zoology.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Guide to the galleries of mammalia (mammalian, osteological, cetacean) in the Department of Zoology of the British Museum (Natural History). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    As they also have the power of retaining water in their capacious stomachs for more than a week. Camels are quite invaluable as carriers in desert countries, where food and water cannot regularly be obtained, although in disposition they are both obstinate and ill- tempered, and are said never to attach themselves to their masters. The second genus of the Tylopoda is Auchenia, containing two [Cases species—the Huanaco, which is the wild form of the domesticated 39-42.] Llama, and the Vicuna, which stands in the same relation to the Alpaca. They are natives of the Andes and adjoining plateaus of South America; the domesticated forms being used as beasts of burden in the same way as the Camels; their wool, especially that of the Alpaca, is long and fine, and of considerable value. They are without humps on their backs, and much smaller and more lightly built than the Camels. The wide distance which separates the Llamas from the Camels at the present time has been partially bridged over by the recent discoveries of a large number of fossils referable to this group in North America, near the Rocky Moun- tains. A Dromedary is placed in the centre of the Recess facing the Llamas, which are in Cases 39 to 42. (2) The Tragulina, or Chevrotains (Case 42), are a group of [Case 42,] small deer-like animals, of about the size of rabbits. Their feet are more like those of pigs, and their stomachs have only three, instead of four divisions. There are two genera in the group, namely, Tragulusy with five or six beautiful little species, ranging from India to Borneo; and Hyomoschus, with but one, the Water-Chevrotain [H. aquations^, of Western Africa. (3) The Pecora consist of a very large number of closely related animals, characterized by their generally lightly-built and graceful forms, their long narrow ears, large eyes, rudimentary or absent outer toes, absence of teeth in front of the upper jaw, and their com- plicated stomachs, which consist of four compartments. Among themselves they differ but little, at least in the more important characters, the horns and antlers, with which the males of most of the species are furnished, affording almost the only points by which they can be subdivided. The families of Pecora are the following:—The Bovidce, or Bull tribe, containing the Oxen, Sheep, Antelopes, and Gazelles, is distinguished by the possession of true horns, present for the most part in both sexes. Each horn consists of a bony core (an extension
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