THE BIG GAME OF AFRICA 



would be any other giraffes in the vicinity. Hardly had 

 I given this order before I saw something queer-looking 

 moving in the top of a mimosa tree, some one hundred and 

 fifty yards away and right in front of us. At first we 

 thought it was a marabout stork or some other big 

 bird, but soon we discovered the two front horns and 

 the ears of a giraffe. The caravan was now ordered 

 to sit down on the ground behind trees and bushes 

 and not to talk or move before I signaled to them to 

 come on. 



With only one of the gun bearers to carry my Win- 

 chester, I took my camera and began carefully to stalk the 

 giraffe. It has often been remarked that if the coloring 

 of animals is supposed to hide them from their enemies, 

 or to make it easier for certain animals to catch their 

 prey, the giraffe in that respect would be very unfortunate, 

 with his bright and strangely checkered coat. I myself had 

 thought so several times before, when seeing giraffes on 

 the open prairies, where they are only found when trek- 

 king between their regular feeding grounds. This time, 

 however, I had to change my mind. It was just about 

 eleven o'clock on a cloudless day when, in spite of the 

 altitude of over 7,000 feet, the sun was very powerful, 

 for this part of the country lies exactly on the equator. 

 Now, as the strong, bright sunlight and the deep shadows 

 of the branches and leaves interweaved into one wonder- 

 ful " carpet," the big bull giraffe was, even at fifty yards, 

 hard to make out, except when moving, so perfectly did 

 his big dark and bright spots blend with the whole sun- 

 flooded landscape! A passing look at the picture facing 

 page 78 will prove how protective the giraffe's coat is under 



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