GIRAFFES, AND HOW TO CAPTURE THEM 139 



my native hunter in the Botletli river hunting veldt, 

 I came suddenly upon a troop of nineteen giraffes 

 thus busily occupied ; and, although I have set eyes 

 on many rare and beautiful things in the African 

 wilderness, that most fascinating revelation of wild 

 animal life will never fade from memory. 



The colouring of giraffes in the wild state is far 

 richer than in captivity, and varies from a dark 

 chestnut, turning black upon the back and shoulders, 

 in the old bulls, to the rich yellow of the cows and 

 the lemon fawn of the calves. The colours vary a 

 good deal : I have seen and shot an old cow almost as 

 dark upon the back as a patriarchal bull. The neck is 

 furnished with a short, thickish chestnut mane, while 

 the tail ends in a tassel of long and very thick and 

 wiry black hairs, providing one of the best natural 

 fly-whisks in the animal world. These hairs, neatly 

 plaited in various patterns, are frequently used by 

 the Bechuanas in the ornamentation of the handles 

 of whips, fly-whisks, and other articles ; sometimes, 

 too, as a foundation for the bead bangles with which 

 the women-folk decorate their arms and legs. 



It is well known that, until the last year or two, 

 only one form of giraffe (Camelopardalis giraffa) was 

 believed to exist in Africa. But, as Pliny said long 

 ago, Ux Africa semper aliqiiid novi, and out of Africa's 

 wonderful store has appeared, after all these years, 

 yet another rarity. It has remained for Somaliland, 



