NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



senses of sight, smell and hearing are remarkably 

 well-developed. 



The old bulls give off a most disagreeable, musky, 

 nauseating odour, which seems to be particularly 

 overpowering and objectionable to horses. 



On an occasion a lion and two lionesses attacked 

 an old bull Giraffe when he came down to drink. 

 They succeeded after a rather hard struggle in 

 pulling him down, but almost immediately left 

 him and disappeared into the bush, growling and 

 mumbling, evidently nauseated by the objection- 

 able smell given off by the old fellow. When feed- 

 ing, the Giraffe neatly picks off the leaves, seed- 

 pods and shoots from the branches, one by one, 

 with its long, flexible tongue. 



Although the Giraffe is able to exist for long 

 periods without water, yet when it is available it 

 drinks freely and regularly. This power of existing 

 for long periods without water has been acquired 

 by all the animals which inhabit the dry desert- 

 like districts where constantly flowing watercourses 

 do not exist, and where the rainfall is limited and 

 irregular. 



The female Giraffe, after a gestation period of 

 about fourteen months, produces a single calf. The 

 calving time is usually from October to February. 

 On rare occasions twins have been observed. The 

 Giraffe is difficult to stalk owing to its ability to 

 survey its surroundings for a long distance by reason 

 of its long neck and fore- limbs, which gives its head 



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