Volatile components of the occipital gland secretion of the bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus).

The male Bactrian camel's occipital scent gland produces a series of steroids including 5α-androst-16-en-3-one in addition to a series of fatty acids and γ-dodecalactone. 3-Methylbutanoic acid is the most volatile of the acids which include hexanoic, a decenoic, and the saturated acids from C15 to C25 with the exception of C24. The constitution of this secretion changes appreciably with the season.