The Giraffe. 167 



I was, I heard them give tongue with all their might ; 

 and, as their voices appeared all to come from the same 

 spot, I conjectured that they had got the animal in a 

 corner, and I again pushed forward. I had scarcely got 

 round the hill, when I perceived her surrounded by the 

 dogs, and endeavouring to drive them away by heavy 

 kicks. In a moment I was on my feet, and a shot from 

 my carbine brought her to the earth. Enchanted with 

 my victory, I returned to call my people about me, that 

 they might assist in skinning and cutting up the animal. 

 On my return I found her standing under a large ebony- 

 tree, assailed by my dogs. She had staggered to this 

 place, and fell dead at the moment I was about to take a 

 second shot." 



The horns of the Giraffe, small as they are, and muf- 

 fled with skin and hair, are by no means the insignificant 

 weapons they seem. We have seen them wielded by the 

 males against each other with fearful and reckless force ; 

 and we know that they are the natural arms of the 

 Giraffe, most dreaded by the keeper of the present living 

 Giraffes in the Zoological Gardens, because they are 

 most commonly and suddenly put in use. The Giraffe 

 does not butt by depressing and suddenly elevating the 

 head, like the deer, ox, or sheep ; but strikes the callous 

 obtuse extremities of the horns against the object of his 

 attack, with a sidelong sweep of the neck. 



The Giraffe has a peculiarly awkward manner of trot- 

 ting, as it moves both the legs on one side at the same 

 time. In galloping, the Giraffe separates its hind legs 

 widely, and at each stride brings them far forward on 

 each side of the fore feet ; in this way the animal makes 

 rapid progress, although its appearance is rather extra- 

 ordinary, and the stones cast backwards by the force of 

 the hind feet not unfrequently assist in protecting it 

 when closely pursued. The female Giraffe in the 

 Regent's Park was a very bad mother to her first young 

 one, as she would not let it suck, and beat it away 

 whenever it approached. The poor thing was fed with 

 cow's milk, but it soon died. Later young ones have 

 been more kindly treated, and have in consequence 

 thriven well. 



