(f/K.lf'FJIS. 



551 



art.1 pleasant in th- full. round, durk eye of th- (iiraffe, whose gan U really fascinating to 

 those who feel attracted b\ :i mild and gent -i-m <>f oul. Even the ruthless hunter 



has felt himself overcome by the glances of the Giraffe's dark, expressive eye, as the poor 



:ttiiiu:il lay unresistingly and >il-iitly on the ground, watching its destroyer with repnmchful 

 but IK. i \-ni:-ful gaze. 



As far as is at present know a, tin- <in-.tr.- is a silent animal, like tli.- .-land and the kan- 

 gnroo. and has never been heard to utter a sound, even wln-u -tin-din;,' in the agonies of 

 d-atli. When in its natix- land it is so strongly i>erfum-d \xith tin- foliage <>n which it 

 hietly f.i-ds, that it exhales a ixmrrful odor, which is compared by Captain ('niiiining to 

 tti.- -. .-lit of a hiv- of hi-ath.-r hon. \ . 



Although an inofTViiMw- an<l most gentle creature, it is not dewtitute of aggressive oapa- 

 biliti.-s, and ran d.-ft-nd itaelf againt onlinary foe, such aa the pnHlmtxiU!. "imi\<.ra whirh 





UIKAFTK UBAXIMO CFOM LEVKL OROUWB. 



inhabit th- same land. In defending itself it does not bring ita head within reach of its 

 .-n.-niy. I. ut d.-livere a shower of kicks with Mu-h lightness and c.-l.-rity. that it luw been 

 known even to daunt tin- lion from tin- attack. \Vh-n. how.-v.-r. th.- lion can nt.uil unob- 

 served upon the Giraffe, and especially h.-n it unites with others of its own rao- in th.- pur 

 suit of the huge prey, it brings down the Giraffe by dint of sheer bodily strength and sharp- 

 ness of tooth and claw. 



To man it falls an easy prey, ei-cially if it can be kept uj-.n l.-vel ground, i 

 horse can run w ithoiit danger. On rough soil, howev.-r. the Giraffe has by far th- advantage, 

 m i, ],,,, easilv ovei th.' rarious obstacles that lie in it way, ud ptt OV* ftfl pOVBd in I 

 curiously agile manner. It is not a very swift animal, as it can easily be overtaken by a horse 

 of ordinary speed, and is frequently run down by native hunters on foot. When running, ii 



,,,-, 'in a verj awkward uA dMO^ brfiaooi Mner, bg i nrivoi bo* . leaps, its 



tail switching and 'twistu^ ftbovl * regulai int- rvals. and its long ;<!. rotktag rtlfl] ipttd 

 down in a manner that irn-Mibly n-minds the obsen-er of those toy binN h.*e heads and 

 tails perform alternate obeisanoes by the s inging of a weight U-low. As the tail is ,u it.-h.ii 

 sharply hither and thither. t1,.- tuft of bristly hairs at the extremity makes a hissing sound as 

 it passes through the air 



The Giraffe is easily traced by its "spoor," or footmarks, which an dm mch 

 length pointed at the toe and rounded at the heel. The ,,. at which the animal has gone i 

 ascertained by the depth of the impression, and by the scattering of distnrbed soil along t 



M'h. 



