408 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



Pointing my rifle towards the skies, I sent a bullet through her 

 neck. On receiving it she reared high on her hind legs and 

 fell backwards with a heavy crash making the earth shake 

 around her. A thick stream of dark blood spouted out from 

 the wound, her colossal limbs quivered for a moment and she 

 expired. No pen nor words can convey to a sportsman what it 

 is to ride in the midst of a troop of gigantic giraffes — it must 

 be experienced to be understood. They emitted a powerful 

 perfume, which in the chase came hot in my face, reminding 

 me of the smell of a hive of heatlier honey in September.' 



After man, the giraffe's chief enemy is the lion, who often 

 waits for it in the thick brakes on the margin of the rivers or 

 pools, and darts upon it with a murderous spring while it is 

 slaking its thirst. Andersson once saw five lions, two of whom 

 were in the act of pulling down a splendid giraffe, while the 

 other three were watching close at hand the issue of the deadly 

 strife ; and Captain Harris relates that, while he was encamped 

 on the banks of a small stream, a camelopard was killed by a 

 lion whilst in the act of drinking, at no great distance from the 

 waggons. It was a noisy affair ; but an inspection of the scene 

 on which it occurred proved that the giant strength of the 

 victim had been paralysed in an instant. 



Sometimes the giraffe saves itself from the attacks of its 

 arch-enemy by a timely flight ; but when hemmed in, it offers a 

 desperate resistance, and in spite of its naturally gentle and 

 peaceable disposition, gives such desperate kicks with its fore- 

 feet as to keep its antagonist at a respectful distance, and 

 finally to compel him to retreat. 



• There are many analogies between the giraffe and the ostrich ; 

 both long-legged, long-necked, fit for cropping the tall mimosas, 

 or scouring rapidly the plain ; both, finally, defending them- 

 selves by striking their feet forwards, the one against the jackal 

 or hysena, the other against the assaults of the formidable lion. 



The great peculiarity of the zoology of Soutli Africa is the 

 predominance of antelopes. Here no species of deer, roe, stag, 

 or elk greets the eyes of the sportsman ; their place in nature is 

 taken by these hollow-horned ruminants, which have been 

 created in an unusual number and variety of specific forms, 

 constituting a series that fills up the wide hiatus between the 

 goat and the ox. As the traveller advances from the Cape 



