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GIRAFFES. 



Large as is the animal, it can contract the tip of its tongue into so small a compass 

 that it can pass into the pipe of an ordinary pocket-key, while its prehensile powers 

 enable its owner to pluck any selected leaf with perfect ease. In captivity the Giraffe 

 is rather apt to make too free a use of its tongue, such as twitching the artificial flowers 

 and foliage from ladies' bonnets, or any similar freak. 



For grazing upon level ground the Giraffe is peculiarly unfitted, and never attempts 

 that feat excepting when urged by hunger or some very pressing cause. It is, however, 

 perfectly capable of bringing its mouth to the ground, although with considerable effort 

 and much straddling of the fore-legs. By placing a lump of sugar on the ground, the 

 Giraffe may be induced to lower its head to the earth, and to exhibit some of that 

 curious mixture of grace and awkwardness which characterises this singular animal. 



In its native country its usual food consists of the leaves of a kind of acacia, named 

 the Kameel-dorn, or Camel-thorn (Acacia giraffce). The animal is exceedingly fastidious 

 in its appetite, and carefully rejects every thorn, scrupulously plucking only the freshest 

 and greenest leaves. When supplied with cut grass, the Giraffe takes each blade 

 daintily between its lips, and nibbles gradually from the top to the stern, after the 

 manner in which we eat asparagus. As soon as it has eaten the tender and green 

 portion of the grass, it rejects the remainder as unfit for camelopardine consumption. 

 Hay, carrots, onions, and different vegetables form its principal diet while it is kept in 

 a state of captivity. 



The Giraffe is a gentle and playful animal, readily attaching itself to its companions 

 or its keepers, and trying to attract attention by sundry little coquetries. It is full of 

 curiosity, and seems to be greatly gratified by the advent of many visitors, whose costume 

 and general appearance it investigates with an air of great interest. There is something 

 peculiarly mild and pleasant in the full, round, dark eye of the Giraffe, whose gaze is 

 really fascinating to those who feel attracted by a mild and gentle expression of soul 

 Even the ruthless hunter has felt himself overcome by the glances of the Giraffe's dark 

 expressive eye, as the poor animal lay unresistingly and silently on the ground, watching 

 its destroyer with reproachful but not vengeful gaze. 



As far as is at present known, the Giraffe is a silent animal, like the eland and the 

 kangaroo, and has never been heard to utter a sound, even when struggling in the 

 agonies of death. When in its native land it is so strongly perfumed with the foliage 

 on which it chiefly feeds, that it exhales a powerful odor, which is compared by Cap- 

 tain Cumming to the scent of a hive of heather honey. 



Although an inoffensive and most gentle creature, it is not destitute of aggressive 

 capabilities, and can defend itself against ordinary foes, such as the predaceous carniv- 

 ora which inhabit the same land. In defending itself it does not bring its head within 

 reach of its enemy, but delivers a shower of kicks with such lightness and celerity, that 

 it has been known even to daunt the lion from the attack. When, however, the lion 

 can steal unobserved upon the Giraffe, and especially when it unites with others of its 

 own race in the pursuit of the huge prey, it brings down the Giraffe by dint of sheer 

 bodily strength and sharpness of tooth and claw. 



To man it falls an easy prey, especially if it can be kept upon level ground, where a 

 horse can run without danger. On rough soil, however, the Giraffe has by far the 

 advantage, as it leaps easily over the various obstacles that lie in its way, and gets over 

 the ground in a curiously agile manner. It is not a very swift animal, as it can easily be 

 overtaken by a horse of ordinary speed, and is frequently run down by native hunters on 

 foot. When running, it progresses in a very awkward and almost ludicrous manner, by 

 a series of frog-like leaps, its tail switching and twisting about at regular intervals, and 

 its long neck rocking stiffly up and down in a manner that irresistibly reminds the 

 observer of those toy birds whose heads and tails perform alternate obeisances by the 

 swinging of a weight below. As the tail is switched sharply hither and thither, the tuft 

 of bristly hairs at the extremity makes a hissing sound as it passes through the air. 



The Giraffe is easily traced by its " spoor," or footmarks, which are eleven inches in 

 length, pointed at the toe and rounded at the heel. The pace at which the animal has 

 gone is ascertained by the depth of the impression, and by the scattering of disturbed 

 soil along the path. 



