96 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



they disappeared among the mimosas, at their strange 

 leisurely looking gallop. Of all the beasts in an African 

 landscape none is more striking than the giraffe. Usually 

 it is found in small parties or in herds of fifteen or twenty 

 or more individuals. Although it will drink regularly if 

 occasion offers, it is able to get along without water for 

 months at a time, and frequents by choice the dry plains or 

 else the stretches of open forest where the trees are scattered 

 and ordinarily somewhat stunted. Like the rhinoceros 

 the ordinary or prehensile-lipped rhinoceros the giraffe is 

 a browsing and not a grazing animal. The leaves, buds, 

 and twigs of the mimosas or thorn-trees form its customary 

 food. Its extraordinary height enables it to bring into play 

 to the best possible advantage its noteworthy powers of 

 vision, and no animal is harder to approach unseen. Again 

 and again I have made it out a mile off or rather have seen 

 it a mile off when it was pointed out to me, and looking at 

 it through my glasses, would see that it was gazing steadily 

 at us. It is a striking-looking animal and handsome in its 

 way, but its length of leg and neck and sloping back make 

 it appear awkward even at rest. When alarmed it may 

 go off at a long swinging pace or walk, but if really fright- 

 ened it strikes into a peculiar gallop or canter. The tail is 

 cocked and twisted, and the huge hind legs are thrown 

 forward well to the outside of the forelegs. The movements 

 seem deliberate and the giraffe does not appear to be going 

 at a fast pace, but if it has any start a horse must gallop 

 hard to overtake it. When it starts on this gait, the neck 

 may be dropped forward at a sharp angle with the straight 

 line of the deep chest, and the big head is thrust in advance. 

 They are defenceless things and, though they may kick 



