QUADRUPEDS. 135 
elongated, and it is furnished with a very short, stiff mane, 
which stands out erect from the skin. The height of a 
full grown Giraffe in a wild state is said to be twenty 
feet, measuring from the hoofs to the tip of the ears ; but 
none of those in England exceed thirteen feet. At first 
sight, the fore legs appear much longer than the hind 
legs ; but the fact is, that the legs are of the same length, 
and it is only the height of the withers that occasions the 
apparent disproportion. The vertebrae of the back are 
slightly curved. The colour of the Giraffe is a light fawn, 
marked with spots only a few shades darker. The legs 
are very slender ; and notwithstanding the length of the 
Giraffe's neck, it manifests great difficulty whenever it is 
obliged to take anything from the ground. It puts out 
first one foot, then the other ; repeating the same process 
several times ; and it is only after several of these experi- 
ments that it at length bends its neck, and applies its lips 
and tongue to the object in question. It willingly accepts 
fruit and branches of a tree when offered to it; and it seizes 
the foliage in a very singular manner, thrusting forth, for 
the purpose, a long, reddish, and very narrow tongue, 
which it rolls round whatever it wishes to secure. 
The Giraffe is a native of Africa ; and it was long only 
known by the descriptions of travellers. It was first sent 
to Europe in 1829; but since that time many have been 
introduced, and two young ones have been born in the 
Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park. 
Vaillant, in his entertaining travels in Africa, gives an 
animated account of a Giraffe hunt : " After several 
hours 1 fatigue, we discovered, at the turn of a hill, seven 
Giraffes, which my pack instantly pursued. Six of them 
went off together ; but the seventh, cut off by my dogs, 
took another way. I followed the single one at full speed, 
but, in spite of the efforts of my horse, she got so much 
ahead of me, that in turning a little hill, I lost sight of 
her altogether. My dogs, however, were not so easily put 
