654 GIRAFFES. 
the little knolls of green herbage that are found sprinkled among the precipices, without 
being tempted by the verdant expanse of the plains below. Before they became 
acquainted with the destructive powers of mankind, they were very fearless, and 
would curiously survey those who approached their lofty abodes. Now, however, they are 
peculiarly shy and suspicious, and at the sight of a man they blow their warning whistle, 
and immediately take refuge in the recesses of the rocks. When wounded, unless the 
injury is one that carries immediate death with it, the animal makes the best of its way 
into one of its retreats, and dying there, is useless to its slayer. 
The flesh of the Big-horn is remarkably excellent, and is said to be superior to that of 
the native deer. When full-erown, a Big-horn measures about three feet six inches in 
height at the shoulders, and the horns are about the same length, thus preserving the 
same proportions of stature and length of horn as has already been noticed in the Argali 
of Siberia. The colour of the animal is extremely variable, changing according to the 
season of the year. 
CLOSELY allied to the two preceding animals, the AOUDAD, or BEARDED ARGALI, may 
be easily distinguished from them by the heavy mane which commences at the throat 
and falls as far as the knees. 
The Aoudad is a native of Northern Africa, and is a mountain-dweller, inhabiting 
only the loftiest and most maccessible precipices. It is commonly found in the lofty 
woods of the Atlas mountains, where it disports itself with as much ease and absence of 
fear as if it were quietly standing on level ground. Like the argali and big-horn, it is 
remarkably active, as needs for an animal whose life is cast among the terrible precipices 
of the loftiest mountain ranges. The height of the Aoudad is rather more than three feet 
at the shoulder, so that it is a really large animal, although not of such gigantic proportions 
as the argali. The horns are about two feet in length. Round the fore -legs a quantity 
of long hair is placed, like ruffles, just above the knee, a pecuharity which has earned for 
the creature the French name of Mouflon a manchettes. It seems to be a lively but 
rather petulant animal, full of curiosity, and gentle in its disposition. 
GIRAFFES. 
TALLEST of all earthly dwellers, the GIRAFFE erects its stately head far above any animal 
that walks the face of the globe. It is an inhabitant of various parts of Africa, and is 
evidently a unique being, comprising in itself an entire tribe. The colour of the coat 
is slightly different in the specimens which inhabit the northern and the southern portions 
of Africa, the southern animal being rather darker than its northern relative. 
The height of a full-grown male Giraffe is from eighteen to twenty feet, the female being 
somewhat less in her dimensions. The greater part “of this enormous stature is obtained 
by the extraordinarily long neck, which is nevertheless possessed of only seven vertebrae, 
as in ordinary animals. Those bones are, however, extremely elongated, and their articula- 
tion is admirably adapted to the purpose which they are called upon to fulfil. The back of 
the Giraffe slopes considerably from the shoulders to the tail, and at first sight the fore- 
legs of the animal appear to be longer than the hinder limbs. The legs themselves are, 
however, of equal length, and the elevation of the shoulder is due to the very great 
elongation of the shoulder-blades. Upon the head are two excrescences which resemble 
horns, and are popularly called by that name. They are merely growths or developments 
of certain bones of the skull, somewhat similar to the bony cores on which the hollow 
horns of the oxen and antelopes are set. These quasi horns are covered with skin, and 
have on their summits a tuft of dark hair. On the forehead, and nearly between the 
eyes, a third bony projection is seen, occupying the same position that was traditionally 
accredited to the horn of the unicorn. 
