THE DEER 113 



reaches a mountain, it passes the heights with rapidity; its feet, 

 which are Hke those of a goat, endow it with the dexterity of that 

 animal. It bounds over ravines with incredible power; horses 

 cannot, in such situations, compete with it." 



The action of this animal when running at speed is exceedingly 

 awkward and ungraceful. Strictly speaking, indeed, it cannot be 

 said to run, but proceeds by means of a series of galloping leaps, 

 not unlike those of a frog, while its long neck rocks to and fro at 

 every movement, just as though it were balanced upon a pivot. 



The giraffe is a very timid creature, and always endeavours, if 

 alarmed, to seek safety in flight. When brought to bay, however, 

 it will fight with great determination, delivering a series of terrific 

 kicks with its powerful forelegs, and not uncommonly disabling its 

 pursuer. Even the lion is afraid to attack a giraffe openly, and 

 prefers to creep up silently behind it, spring upon its flanks, and 

 bear it to the ground. 



One would imagine that so tall and brightly-coloured an animal 

 as the giraffe would be most conspicuous, even when standing 

 among thick trees. Experienced hunters, however, tell us that 

 very few animals are more difficult to detect, since its long neck 

 looks at a little distance just like a slender tree-trunk, while its 

 colouring harmonizes exactly with that of the tropical foliage. 



The most usual method of capturing the giraff"e employed by 

 the natives is by means of pitfalls, across the middle of which a 

 narrow bank of earth, six feet or so in height, is left remaining. 

 When the animal falls into one of these pits its body is balanced 

 across this wall, so that it can find no foothold, and is quite unable 

 to escape. 



THE DEER 



Unlike the giraffes, the Deer Family are widely distributed over 

 the face of the earth, and include a great number of species. They 

 are to be found in most parts of the World, except in desert 

 regions, where they seem unable to pick up a living as do some 

 of their cousins, the antelopes. 



The most striking feature of the deer family is the magnificent 

 pair of antlers with which the male deer are as a rule provided during 



(M868) I 



