GIRAFFE

giraffe, a corruption of _zarafah_, the arabic name for the tallest of all mammals, and the typical representative of the family _giraffidae_, the distinctive characters of which are given in the article pecora, where the systematic position of the group is indicated. the classic term "camelopard," probably introduced when these animals were brought from north africa to the roman amphitheatre, has fallen into complete disuse. in common with the okapi, giraffes have skin-covered horns on the head, but in these animals, which form the genus _giraffa_, these appendages are present in both sexes; and there is often an unpaired one in advance of the pair on the forehead. among other characteristics of these animals may be noticed the great length of the neck and limbs, the complete absence of lateral toes and the long and tufted tail. the tongue is remarkable for its great length, measuring about 17 in. in the dead animal, and for its great elasticity and power of muscular contraction while living. it is covered with numerous large papillae, and forms, like the trunk of the elephant, an admirable organ for the examination and prehension of food. giraffes are inhabitants of open country, and owing to their length of neck and long flexible tongues are enabled to browse on tall trees, mimosas being favourites. to drink or graze they are obliged to straddle the fore-legs apart; but they seldom feed on grass and are capable of going long without water. when standing among mimosas they so harmonize with their surroundings that they are difficult of detection. formerly giraffes were found in large herds, but persecution has reduced their number and led to their extermination from many districts. although in late tertiary times widely spread over southern europe and india, giraffes are now confined to africa south of the sahara. apart from the distinct somali giraffe (_giraffa reticulata_), characterized by its deep liver-red colour marked with a very coarse network of fine white lines, there are numerous local forms of the ordinary giraffe (_giraffa camelopardalis_). the northern races, such as the nubian _g. c. typica_ and the kordofan _g. c. antiquorum_, are characterized by the large frontal horn of the bulls, the white legs, the network type of coloration and the pale tint. the latter feature is specially developed in the nigerian _g. c. peralta_, which is likewise of the northern type. the baringo _g. c. rothschildi_ also has a large frontal horn and white legs, but the spots in the bulls are very dark and those of the females jagged. in the kilimanjaro _g. c. tippelskirchi_ the frontal horn is often developed in the bulls, but the legs are frequently spotted to the fetlocks. farther south the frontal horn tends to disappear more or less completely, as in the angola _g. c. angolensis_, the transvaal _g. c. wardi_ and the cape _g. c. capensis_, while the legs are fully spotted and the colour-pattern on the body (especially in the last-named) is more of a blotched type, that is to say, consists of dark blotches on a fawn ground, instead of a network of light lines on a dark ground. [illustration: the north african or nubian giraffe (_giraffa camelopardalis_).] for details, see a paper on the subspecies of _giraffa camelopardalis_, by r. lydekker in the _proceedings of the zoological society of london_ for 1904. (r. l.*) giraldi, giglio gregorio [lilius gregorius gyraldus] (1479-1552), italian scholar and poet, was born on the 14th of june 1479, at ferrara, where he early distinguished himself by his talents and acquirements. on the completion of his literary course he removed to naples, where he lived on familiar terms with jovianus pontanus and sannazaro; and subsequently to lombardy, where he enjoyed the favour of the mirandola family. at milan in 1507 he studied greek under chalcondylas; and shortly afterwards, at modena, he became tutor to ercole (afterwards cardinal) rangone. about the year 1514 he removed to rome, where, under clement vii., he held the office of apostolic protonotary; but having in the sack of that city (1527), which almost coincided with the death of his patron cardinal rangone, lost all his property, he returned in poverty once more to mirandola, whence again he was driven by the troubles consequent on the assassination of the reigning prince in 1533. the rest of his life was one long struggle with ill-health, poverty and neglect; and he is alluded to with sorrowful regret by montaigne in one of his _essais_ (i. 34), as having, like sebastian castalio, ended his days in utter destitution. he died at ferrara in february 1552; and his epitaph makes touching and graceful allusion to the sadness of his end. giraldi was a man of very extensive erudition; and numerous testimonies to his profundity and accuracy have been given both by contemporary and by later scholars. his _historia de diis gentium_ marked a distinctly forward step in the systematic study of classical mythology; and by his treatises _de annis et mensibus_, and on the _calendarium romanum et graecum_, he contributed to bring about the reform of the calendar, which was ultimately effected by pope gregory xiii. his _progymnasma adversus literas et literatos_ deserves mention at least among the curiosities of literature; and among his other works to which reference is still occasionally made are _historiae poetarum graecorum ac latinorum_; _de poetis suorum temporum_; and _de sepultura ac vario sepeliendi ritu_. giraldi was also an elegant latin poet. his _opera omnia_ were published at leiden in 1696.