290 MR. T. E. BUCKLEY ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL [Mar. 7> 



distance will turn out of the way, and, retiring quietly in the bush 

 alongside its own tracks, will charge on the unsuspecting hunter ; and 

 there are few who have not had several narrow escapes from these 

 animals. 



We saw very young calves of the Buffalo towards the end of Sep- 

 tember ; and there was a full-grown foetus in a cow which we killed 

 about that time; when first born they are of a dark brown colour. 

 Buffaloes require water at least once in the twenty-four hours, 

 generally drinking at night, but sometimes in the afternoon ; they 

 feed in the morning and evening, but lie still during the heat of the 

 day, in the shade. 



Attempts have been made to domesticate the Cape-Buffalo, but 

 they appear to have resulted in failure ; not only is the animal too 

 uncertain in temper, but, just as in the wild state it goes to rest 

 during the heat of the day in the shade, so it is that from this 

 reason the Buffalo is less hardy than the Ox, as it is unable to 

 work during a great part of the day. 



25. Camelopardalis giraffa. (Giraffe.) 



From all accounts it would appear that the Giraffe never occurred 

 south of the Orange River. Sparrmann mentions it as occurring to the 

 north and north-west of the colony in 1/72, but seems not to have 

 obtained a specimen. Paterson, in his 'Journey,' published in 1789, 

 mentions that a friend of his killed one just north of the Orange 

 River, which was devoured, however, by lions before he had a 

 chance of inspecting it. Later on he was more fortunate; and at 

 p. 125 he gives a description of one, and a very fair drawing also. 

 To the east, J am informed that, although no longer inhabiting 

 their country, the Zulus have a name for the Giraffe: their country 

 lies between 27° and 29 u south ; so that 28° would be about their 

 southern range. 



At present I should say that the Giraffe does not occur much 

 further south than 24°; it was about in this latitude, where the ro; d 

 leaves the Limpopo river on the way to Shoshong, that we first saw 

 its spoor. Being rarely killed except from horseback, the Giraffe yet 

 holds its own in the "fly "-country, where the Horse cannot enter, 

 and from its enormous length of neck is able to take good care of 

 itself from any one trying to stalk it on foot. 



The flesh of a young cow is very good, and the marrow-bones 

 excellent ; its skin is used by the natives for making sandals, and 

 by hunters and traders for making reins. 



The Giraffe lives in small herds of from three to twelve; it in- 

 habits the driest country, feeding on the young shoots of the mimosa 

 trees, and occasionally on a small green fruit resembling an apple. 

 When hunted they go off at a great pace, though it does not appear 

 so, their long necks oscillating like a pendulum, and their tails 

 screwed up over their rumps. 



The following Table gives a summary of my conclusions : — 



