GIRAFFES. 331 



enemies at a long distance off, as they can see right 

 over a great many of the dwarf tree growths. 



It would be easy to fill pages with technical details, 

 as to the special peculiarities of the African game 

 animals: such as the spiral horns, the curiously striped 

 coats, or variegated colours of the various antelopes, 

 which inhabit certain sections of the bush country ; 

 but these matters have been already described in many 

 books of sport and travel. 



The antelope tribe, of course, as a rule avoid the 

 neighbourhood of heavy bush, and keep to the opener 

 sections of the grassy plains. This instinct is common 

 to all the varieties of antelopes. But the larger quad- 

 rupeds and animals of the deer tribe, on the con- 

 trary, cling to the thickets, to which they always 

 retire during the heat of the day, or at least seek 

 the shade of umbrageous trees which shelter them 

 from the sun. The elephant and the buffalo, for in- 

 stance, are sure to be found where trees grow most 

 densely, and it is noticeable that those creatures have, 

 as we have pointed out, dusky dun hides, which 

 assimilate perfectly with the leafless bush: so that 

 they too, when not in motion, are most difficult to 

 catch sight of, on account of their protective colourings. 



It is not, however, as game animals, or from a 

 sporting point of view, that we desire just now to 

 present these African mammalia to the notice of our 

 readers. Africa is a country full of wonders: all its 

 productions seem marked by special peculiarities, distinct 

 from anything of the kind met with elsewhere. 



Why should this be? It is probably due to the 

 fact that it is the most ancient of all existing con- 

 tinents. Distinct races and forms of life, therefore, 



