92 THE TALLEST MAMMAL. 



compensated by the extreme lightness and porous structure 

 of the bones of the skull. Lastly, we may note that the 

 long tail, terminating in a large tuft of black hairs, is a 

 feature unlike any of the deer, although recalling certain 

 of the antelopes. 



Somewhat stiff and ungainly in its motions the small 

 number of vertebrae not admitting of the graceful arching 

 of the neck characterizing the swan and ostrich the 

 giraffe is in all parts of its organization admirably adapted 

 to a life on open plains dotted over with tall trees, upon 

 which it can browse without fear of competition by any 

 other living creature. Its wide range of vision affords it 

 timely warning of the approach of foes ; from the effect of 

 sand-storms it is protected by the power of automatically 

 closing its nostrils; while its capacity of existing for 

 months at a time without drinking renders it suited to 

 inhabit waterless districts like the northern part of the 

 great Kalahari desert. And here we may mention in 

 passing that the camel has gained a reputation for being 

 adapted for a desert-life above all its allies which is not 

 altogether deserved. It is true, indeed, that a camel can 

 and does make long desert journeys, but these can only be 

 maintained during such time as the supply of water in its 

 specially constructed stomach holds out, and when this 

 fails there is not an animal that sooner knocks up alto- 

 gether than the so-called " ship of the desert." Did their 

 bodily conformation and general habits admit of their being 

 so employed, there can indeed be little doubt that the 

 giraffe and some of the larger African antelopes, which are 

 likewise independent of water, would form far more useful 

 and satisfactory beasts of burden for desert travelling than 

 the, to our mind, somewhat over-rated camel. Returning 

 from this digression, it must be mentioned that when 

 we speak of the giraffe being independent of water, we 

 by no means intend to imply that it never drinks. On 

 the contrary, during the summer this ruminant, when 

 opportunity offers, will drink long and frequently ; but 

 it is certain that for more than half the year, in 

 many parts of southern Africa at least, it never takes 

 water at all. In certain districts, as in the northern 



