54 THE TALLEST MAMMAL. 



species has also left its remains in the newer Tertiary rocks 

 of Pikermi, near Athens ; while those of a third have been 

 disinterred in China, and a fourth in Persia. It was, 

 indeed, believed for a long time that France also was once 

 the home of a member of the genus, but the specimen on 

 which the determination was based is now known to be a 

 jaw-bone belonging to the existing species. Although we 

 are, unfortunately, unacquainted with the geology of the 

 greater part of Africa, the foregoing evidence points 

 strongly to the conclusion that giraffes (together with 

 ostriches, hippopotami, and certain peculiar antelopes) are 

 comparatively recent emigrants into that continent from 

 the north-east ; but, as we have previously had occasion to 

 mention, the reason why all these animals have totally 

 died out in their ancient homes is still one of the darkest 

 of enigmas. 



Unknown in the countries to the north of the Sahara, 

 as well as in the great forest regions of the west, which 

 are unsuitable to its habits, the giraffe at the present day 

 ranges from the north Kalahari and northern Bechuana- 

 land in the south, through such portions of eastern and 

 central Africa as are suited to its mode of life, to the 

 southern Sudan in the north. Unhappily, however, this 

 noble animal is almost daily dimmishing in numbers 

 throughout a large area of southern and eastern Africa, 

 and its distributional area as steadily shrinking. Whether 

 it was ever found to the south of the Orange river and in 

 the Cape Colony may be a moot point, although, according 

 to Mr. Bryden, there are traditions that it once occurred 

 there. Apart from this, it is definitely known that about 

 the year 1813 these animals were met with only a 

 little to the north of the last-named river ; while as 

 late as 1836 they were still common throughout the 

 Transvaal, and more especially near the junction of the 

 Marico with the Limpopo river. Now their last refuo-es 

 in these districts are the extreme eastern border of 

 the Transvaal (where only a few remain), and the district 

 lying to the north of Bechuanaland and known as Khama's 

 country, or Bawangwato, together with the northern 

 Kalahari. Even here, however, their existence is 



