verthrow of the Roman Empire,
the camelopard finally disappeared from Europe, and for several
centuries remained a perfect stranger to the civilised world.

It is not until towards the close of the fifteenth century, that we
again hear of the giraffe's appearance,--when it is related that Lorenzo
de Medici exhibited one at Florence.

The first of these animals seen in England was a gift from the Pasha of
Egypt to George the Fourth. It arrived in 1828, and died during the
following year.

On the 24th of May, 1836, four giraffes were exhibited in the Zoological
gardens at Regent's Park. They were brought from the south-west of
Kordofan, and were transported to London at an expense of 2386 pounds
three shillings and one penny.

From a casual glance at the giraffe, its fore legs would appear nearly
twice as long as the hind ones, but such is not the case. This
difference of appearance is caused by the great depth of shoulder,
compared with the hips. In proportion to the rest of its body, the
camelopard has rather a small head, upheld by a neck nearly six feet in
length, gently tapering towards the crown. The animal's height,
reckoning from the top of the head to the hoofs of the fore feet, is
about equally divided between neck, shoulders, and legs. Measured from
the summit of the hips to the hoofs of the hind feet, it rarely exceeds
six and a half, or seven feet.

The head of the giraffe is furnished with a pair of excrescences,
usually called horns, although very unlike the horn of any other animal.
They are of a porous bony texture covered with short, coarse bristles.
Naturalists have, as yet, failed to determine for what purpose these
osseous processes are provided. They cannot be either for offence or
defence, since they are too easily displaced to afford any resistance in
the case of a collision.

The eyes of the camelopard are worthy of all praise. They are of large
size, even softer and more gentle than those of the far-famed gazelle,
and so placed that it can see in almost every direction without turning
its head.

All its senses are very acute; and being an animal of timid habit, it
can only be approached by man when mounted upon a fleet horse.

The camelopard feeds on the leaves and blossoms of an umbrella-shaped
tree,--a species of mimosa, called mokhala by the native Africans, and
cameel-doorn (Camelthorn) by the Dutch settlers of the Cape.

As a grasper and feeler, the tongue of the giraffe i