402 TRAVELS IN 
many others, difgraces and renders of no utility 
to fcience thefe falfe reprefentations, which 
people very improperly confide in, on account 
of the reputation of the authors who publifh 
them. 
The giraffes, both male and female, are 
fpotted in the fame manner; but, without pay- 
ing attention to inequality of fize, they may 
eafily be diftinguiflied from each other even 
at a diftance. The male, on a greyilli white 
ground, has large fpots of a dark brown co- 
lour, almoft approaching to black; and the 
female, on a like ground, has fpots of a tawny 
colour, which renders them lefs flrlklng. The 
young males are at firft of the colour of their 
mother, but, in proportion as they advance in 
age and fize, they become browner. 
Thefe quadrupedes feed upon the leaves of 
trees, and particularly on thofe of a mimofa, 
peculiar to the canton which they inhabit. 
Meadow grafs forms alfo part of their aliment; 
but they are not under the neceffity of kneel- 
ing down to browfe or to drink, as fome have 
improperly believed. They often lie down to 
ruminate or to fleep, which caufes a confider- 
able callofity on the ftemura, and makes their 
knees to be always covered with a hard ilcin. 
5 Had 
