352 MAMMALIA—CAMELOPARD. 
excrescence, but an enlargement of the bony part, the same as the two little 
bosses, or protuberances, with which its occiput is armed, and which rise as 
large as a hen’s egg, one on each side of the mane, at its commencement. 
Its tongue is rough and terminates in a point. Each jaw has six grinders 
on each side, but the lower jaw only, has eight cutting teeth in front, while 
the upper jaw has none. j 
“The hoof is cloven, has no heel, and much resembles that of the ox. It 
may be observed however, at the first sight, that the hoof of the fore foot is 
larger than that of the hind foot. The leg is very slender; but the knee is 
swelled like that of a stumbling horse, because the animal kneels down to 
sleep. It has also a large callosity in the middle of the sternum, owing to 
its usually reposing on it. 
“Tf I had never killed a giraffe, I should have thought, with many other 
naturalists, that its hind legs were much shorter than the fore ones. This 
is a mistake; they bear the same proportion to each other as is usual in 
quadrupeds. I say the same proportion as is usual, because in this respect 
there are variations, even in animals of the same species. Every one knows, 
for stance, that mares are lower before than stallions. What deceives ug 
im the giraffe, and occasions this apparent difference between the legs, is the 
height of the withers, which may exceed that of the crupper from sixteen tc 
twenty inches, according to the age of the animal; and which, when it is 
seen at a distance in motion, gives the appearance of much greater length 
to the fore legs. 
“Tf the giraffe stand still, and you view it in the front, the effect is very 
different. As the fore part of its body is much larger than the hind part, i! 
completely conceals the latter. . 
“Tts gait, when it walks, is neither awkward nor unpleasing; but it is 
ridiculous enough when it trots; for you would: then take it for a limping 
beast, seeing its head perched at the extremity of a long neck which never 
bends, swaying backwards and forwards, the neck and head playing m ene 
piece between the shoulders as on an axis. However, as the length of the 
neck exceeds that of the legs at least four inches, it is evident that the 
length of the head too taken into the account, it can feed without difficulty, 
and of course is not obliged either to kneel down or to straddle with his feet, 
as some authors have asserted. It is, besides, unnecessary for the animal 
to kneel, as it feeds principally on the boughs of a species of acacia, which 
it draws down to its mouth with its long and flexible tongue. 
“Tts mode of defence, like that of the horse and other solidungulous 
animals, consists in kicking with the heels. But its hind parts are so light, 
and its jerks so rapid, that the eye cannot follow them. They are even 
sufficient to defend it against the lion, though they are unable to protect it 
from the impetuous attack of the tiger. 
“Tts horns are never emplcyed in fight. I did not perceive it to use them 
agaist my dogs; and these weak and useless weapons would seem but an 
