Camel

The camel is an ungulate mammal native to dry and desert areas of Asia.

Public domain image from Webster's Dictionary, 1911 [full size image]

The name comes from the Hebrew gamal, "to repay" or "requite," as the camel does the care of its master.

There are two distinct species of camels, having, however, the common characteristics of being "ruminants without horns, without muzzle, with nostrils forming oblique slits, the upper lip divided and separately movable and extensile, the soles of the feet horny, with two toes covered by claws, the limbs long, the abdomen drawn up, while the neck, long and slender, is bent up and down, the reverse of that of a horse, which is arched."

(1.) The Bactrian camel is distinguished by two humps. It is a native of the high table-lands of Central Asia.

(2.) The Arabian camel or dromedary, from the Greek dromos, has but one hump, and is a native of Western Asia or Africa.

The camel was early used both for riding and as a beast of burden. Camels were much in use among nations in the East.

The camel is related to the llama and alpaca.

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Initial text from Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897 -- Please update as needed