174 BEASTS AND MEN 
three of my giraffes were found lying helpless on the ground, 
still living it is true, but all with broken necks. The stable 
was high and wide enough, yet evidently the animals must 
have driven their heads against the walls, perhaps during a 
rumpus, and in that way broken the fragile cervical vertebre. 
On two other occasions I experienced similar misfortunes, 
Giraffes. 
and of course in all cases there was nothing to be done but 
at once to put an end to the poor beasts. 
Young giraffes are liable to be attacked by a peculiar dis- 
ease, which is in all probability connected with the change of 
food that they undergo during their period of acclimatisation. 
The knees become swollen, and the animals eventually become 
bandy-legged and lame in their forelegs, and as a rule die 
within a year. Occasionally, however, they do recover ; for 
