GIRAFFES. 289 



another to His Majesty George the Fourth, who petted 

 his till it died. Now there are several living in our 

 Zoological Gardens, some of whom were born in the 

 menagerie. 



The great peculiarity of the giraffes lies in possessing 

 a very short body and very long legs, which formation 

 involves a multitude of awkward movements : for in- 

 stance, when they walk fast, there is a jerking in the 

 pace, as if it were not easy to them ; and when they 

 gallop, the hind-feet often project beyond the fore- 

 feet. Their very long neck is not arched, but bends 

 obliquely from the shoulders, so that when they wish to 

 drink from the ground, they are obliged to hold their 

 fore-legs very widely apart. They look best when 

 going slowly, at which time their step is very stately, 

 and their beautiful head is borne loftily above other 

 animals. They have two short, bony horns covered with 

 skin, and a prominence of bone on the top of the fore- 

 head ; they have large, full eyes, with which, owing to 

 their convex form, they can see immense distances in 

 all directions ; their ears are long and flexible ; and they 

 have a long, black, prehensile tongue, with this they 

 drag down the branches of the trees on which they 

 browse. Their upper lip is very flexible and projects 

 over the under, which greatly assists them in procuring 

 their food ; their tail is long, and has a tuft at the end ; 

 their skin is very glossy, is covered with large angular 

 spots, and is often an inch and a half thick. Their 

 great enemy is the lion, who springs upon them when 

 they are drinking, and the affrighted giraffes start with 

 all the speed of a swift courser, their enemy on their 

 back, nor stop till they fall from exhaustion or loss of 

 blood. They were never heard to utter a sound, and 

 T 



