THE CAMELEOPARD. 61 



The nyl-ghau is frequently brought from the interior parts of 

 India, where it is a native, and presented as a valuable gift to the 

 nabob, and other great men, near the coast. Its flesh is esteemed 

 delicious food ; and Bernier says, that the Mogul Emperors took 

 great delight in hunting this animal, of which they often killed 

 great numbers, and distributed their flesh as presents to the 

 Omrahs. 



The animals here described, appear to be of a middle race, 

 partaking of two different kinds, although it is difficult to deter- 

 mine which has the preponderancy. The singular quadruped, 

 which will be our next object of attention, has by some been 

 also considered as of a middle nature ; but it seems rather to bo 

 a distinct genus. 



THE CAMELEOPARD, 



When standing erect, measures in height, to the top of the 

 head, seventeen or eighteen feet ; but its hind-legs are little more 

 than half as long as the fore ones, a disproportion which pre- 

 vents it from running swiftly, and renders its pace waddling and 

 inelegant. Its neck is not less than seven or eight feet in length, 

 and decorated with a short mane : its head is also adorned with 

 two perpendicular horns, covered with hair, and tufted at the 

 ends with a circle of short black hairs : its ears are long, and 

 its eyes brilliant and large. The colour of this animal is a light 

 grey, which, in the male, is interspersed with spots of a dark 

 brown colour over the whole body, and of a pale yellow in the 

 female. It is a timid and gentle creature, being equally desti- 

 tute of the means of attack and defence, and by the dispropor- 

 tion of its parts, ill calculated for flight, which is probably the 

 cause of its being so rare. It lives wholly on vegetables, rumi- 

 nates, and is cloven-footed. 



This singular rarity of animated nature, is found only in the 

 most sequestered regions of Africa, (M. Buffon says that it is 

 also a native of India) and is very seldom exhibited in Europe, 

 It was, however, known to the Romans before the Christian era, 

 and exhibited in their public games. History informs us, that 

 Pompey produced ten of these extraordinary animals at once, 

 in one of the amphitheatres of Rome a striking instance of the 

 enormous expense with which the leading men among the Ro- 

 mans used to amuse and influence the citizens, by the splendour 

 of their public spectacles, and the gratification of popular curi- 

 osity. The Cameleopard has, indeed, at all times been regarded 

 as a wonderful production of nature, and is well calculated to 

 excite our admiration of that almighty and all-creating Power, 

 which has replenished the earth with life in such a variety of forms, 



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