THE GIRAFFE. 
58 
latitude of about 28° south and 20° north. 
seems seldom, if ever, to descend to the plaiP* 
on the sea-coast, and, though frequently 
with in the forests of Senegal, it is scarce!/ 
known to the natives of Guinea. 
This animal was known to the Romans, aD^ 
was exhibited by the emperors at the gaxn^^ 
in the Circus, or in their triumphal proceS' 
sions. It was frequently mentioned by 
older travellers in those terms of exaggeratie’’ 
which they naturally derived from the account* 
of Africans. Thus Purchas describes it as “ ^ 
beast not often seene, yet very tame, and 
a strange composition, mixed of a libaf*!' 
(leopard,) harte, bufife, and camel ; and, b) 
reason of his long legs before and shorter b^' 
hind, not able to graze without difficulty : 
huge that a man on horseback may passe 
righte under him ; feeding on leaves from 
tops of trees, and formed like a camel.” 
had not till lately been seen in Europe siP^^ 
