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Show 290 MR. T. E. BUCKLEY ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL [Mar. 7, distance will turn out of the way, and, retiring quietly in the alongside its own tracks, will charge on the unsuspecting hunter ; and there are few who have not had several narrow escapes from these animals. W e saw very young calves of the Buffalo towards the end of September ; and there was a full-grown fcetus in a cow which we killed about that time; when first born they are of a dark brown colour. Buffaloes require water at least once in the twenty-four hours, generally drinking at night, but sometimes in the afternoon; they feed in the morning and evening, but lie still during the heat of the day, in the shade. Attempts have been made to domesticate the Cape-Buffalo, but they appear to have resulted in failure; not only is the animal too uncertain in temper, but, just as in the wild state it goes to rest during the heat of the day in the shade, so it is that from this reason the Buffalo is less hard}* than the Ox, as it is unable to work during a great part of the day. 25. CAMELOPARDALIS GIRAFFA. (Giraffe.) From all accounts it would appear that the Giraffe never occurred south of the Orange River. Sparrmann mentions it as occurring to the north and north-west of the colony in 1772, but seems not to have obtained a specimen. Paterson, in his ' Journey,' published in 1789, mentions that a friend of his killed one just north of the Orange River, which was devoured, however, by lions before he had a chance of inspecting it. Later on he was more fortunate; and at p. 125 he gives a description of one, and a very fair drawing also. To the east, I am informed that, although no longer inhabiting their country, the Zulus have a name for the Giraffe: their country lies between 27° and 29° south ; so that 28° would be about their southern range. At present I should say that the Giraffe does not occur much further south than 24°; it was about in this latitude, where the road leaves the Limpopo river on the way to Shoshong, that we first saw its spoor. Being rarely killed except from horseback, the Giraffe yet holds its own in the "fly "-country, where the Horse cannot enter, and from its enormous length of neck is able to take good care of itself from any one trying to stalk it on foot. The flesh of a young cow is very good, and the marrow-bones excellent; its skin is used by the natives for making sandals, and by hunters and traders for making reins. The Giraffe lives in small herds of from three to twelve; it inhabits the driest country, feeding on the young shoots of the mimosa trees, and occasionally on a small green fruit resembling an apple. When hunted they go off at a great pace, though it does not appear so, their long necks oscillating like a pendulum, and their tails screwed up over their rumps. The following Table gives a summary of m y conclusions :- |
