684 GIRAFFES. 



the little knolls of green herbage that are found sprinkled among the precipices, with- 

 out being tempted by the verdant expanse of the plains below. Before they became 

 acquainted with the destructive powers of mankind, they were very fearless, and 

 would curiously survey those who approached their lofty abodes. Now, however, they 

 are peculiarly shy and suspicious, and at the sight of a man they blow their warning 

 whistle, and immediately take refuge in the recesses of the rocks. When wounded, 

 unless the injury is one that carries immediate death with it, the animal makes the 

 best of its way into one of its retreats, and dying there, is useless to its slayer. 



The flesh of the Big-horn is remarkably excellent, and is said to be superior to that 

 of the native deer. When full-grown, a Big-horn measures about three feet six inches 

 in height at the shoulders, and the horns are about the same length, thus preserving 

 the same proportions of stature and length of horn as has already been noticed in the 

 Argali of Siberia. The color of the animal is extremely variable, changing according 

 to the season of the year. 



CLOSELY allied to the two preceding animals, the AOUDAD, or BEARDED ARGALI, 

 may be easily distinguished from them by the heavy mane which commences at the 

 throat and falls as far as the knees. 



The Aoudad is a native of Northern Africa, and is a mountain-dweller, inhabiting 

 only the loftiest and most inaccessible precipices. It is commonly found in the lofty 

 woods of the Atlas mountains, where it disports itself with as much ease and absence 

 of fear as if it were quietly standing on level ground. Like the argali and big-horn, it 

 is remarkably active, as needs for an animal whose life is cast among the terrible pre- 

 cipices of the loftiest mountain ranges. The height of the Aoudad is rather more than 

 three feet at the shoulder, so that it is a really large animal, although not of such gi- 

 gantic proportions as the argali. The horns are about two feet in length. Round the 

 fore-legs a quantity of long hair is placed, like ruffles, just above the knee, a peculiarity 

 which has earned for the creature the French name of Mouflon a manchettes. It seems to 

 be a lively but rather petulant animal, full of curiosity, and gentle in its disposition. 



GIRAFFES. 



TALLEST of all earthly dwellers, the GIRAFFE erects its stately head far above any 

 animal that walks the face of the globe. It is an inhabitant of various parts of Africa, 

 and is evidently a unique being, comprising in itself an entire tribe. The color of the 

 coat is slightly different in the specimens which inhabit the northern and the south- 

 ern portions of Africa, the southern animal being rather darker than its northern 

 relative. 



The height of a full-grown male Giraffe is from eighteen to twenty feet, the female 

 being somewhat less in her dimensions. The greater part of this enormous stature is 

 obtained by the extraordinarily long neck, which is nevertheless possessed of only 

 seven vertebrae, as in ordinary animals. Those bones are, however, extremely elon- 

 gated, and their articulation is admirably adapted to the purpose which they are called 

 upon to fulfil. The back of the Giraffe slopes considerably from the shoulders to the 

 tail, and at first sight the forelegs of the animal appear to be longer than the hinder 

 limbs. The legs themselves are, however, of equal length, and the elevation of the 

 shoulder is due to the very great elongation of the shoulder-blades. Upon the head are 

 two excrescences which resemble horns, and are popularly called by that name. They 

 are merely growths or developments of certain bones of the skull, somewhat similar to 

 the bony cores on which the hollow horns of the oxen and antelopes are set. These 

 quasi horns are covered with skin, and have on their summits a tuft of dark hair. On 

 the forehead, and nearly between the eyes, a third bony projection is seen, occupying 

 the same position that was traditionally accredited to the horn of the unicorn. 



