THE CAMELEOPARD. 23 



THE CAMELEOPARD, or GIRAFFE, 



IN HIS MAJESTY'S COLLECTION AT THE SAND-PITS, WINDSOR. 



This most singular and extraordinary quadruped, which has been seldom known to breathe the 

 European air, now treads, far from its native habitat, the beautiful domain of Windsor, the gaze and 

 admiration of the accidental visiter, or the professed zoologist. In its state of comparative confine- 

 ment, it appears to have lost many of those characteristic traits which are said to distinguish it in its 

 natural condition ; but, notwithstanding this difference, it still presents one of the most beautiful 

 specimens of the wonders of the animal kingdom. In regard to the testimony of ancient authors 

 respecting the Giraffe, Moses is the first who speaks of it ; Aristotle does not mention it, from which 

 it is inferred that it was unknown to the Greeks. In the year 708 of Rome, Julius Caesar brought 

 one to Europe, and the Roman emperors afterwards exhibited them at Rome, either in the games 

 in the Circus, or in their triumphs over the African princes. Albertus Magnus, in his treatise de 

 Animalibus, is the first modern author who speaks of the Giraffe. In 148(j, one of the Medici 

 family possessed one at Florence, where it lived for a considerable time. The name Camelo-pardalis 

 (Cameleopard) was given by the Romans to this animal, from a fancied combination of the camel and 

 the leopard ; but its ancient denomination was Zurapha, from which the name Giraffe has been 

 adopted. 



The difficulties which attended the transportation of his Majesty's Giraffe to this country are such 

 as almost to exceed the bounds of credibility ; after traversing a desert region of 1200 miles, its 

 further transportation was despaired of, owing to the extreme fatigue which the animal endured, and 

 the difficulty which was experienced in procuring the food congenial to its nature. The laborious 

 task was at length accomplished by placing it on the backs of camels ; and since its domestication in 

 this country, many points in its natural history have been verified, which were previously enveloped in 

 doubt. 



In its native country, the Giraffe browses on the twigs of trees, preferring plants of the mimosa 

 genus; but it appears that it can, without inconvenience, subsist on other vegetable food. The 

 animal now at Windsor, from its having been accustomed in early life to the food prepared by the 

 Arabs for their camels, is fed on mixed grain bruised, such as maize, barley, &c, and it is furnished 

 with milk for its beverage every night and morning. The animal which was kept at Florence fed on 

 the fruits of the country, and chiefly on apples, which it begged from the inhabitants of the first 

 stories of the houses. In the same manner the animal at Windsor willingly accepts fruits and branches 

 of the acacia, which are presented to it. It seizes the leaves with its long, rugose, and narrow 

 tongue by rolling it about them, and appears to be annoyed when it is obliged to take anything from 

 the ground, which it seems to perform with difficulty. To accomplish this act, it stretches first one, 

 then the other of its long fore-legs asunder, and it is not till after repeated attempts that it is able to 

 seize the object with its lips and tongue. 



The pace of the Cameleopard is an amble, though, when pursued, it flies with extreme rapidity ; but 

 the small size of its lungs prevents it from supporting a lengthened chase. It defends itself against 

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