^ Giraffes 



of game swarm, and are probably not often attacked by 

 lions. 



The German poet Freiligrath has graphically described 

 a lion riding through his kingdom at night on the back 

 of a giraffe. Such an incident is not beyond the range of 

 possibility, but of course it would have a duration of only 

 a few moments. The lion would soon kill its steed with 

 a bite through the vertebrae of the neck. I myself can 

 vouch for this having happened sometimes. Hundreds 

 of vultures once guided me to a spot where two male 

 giraffes were lying dead, killed by lions. In such dramas 

 the genius of some great painter might well find 

 inspiration. 



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