The giraffe is a special animal, so marvellous that I decided to give here a description of it, to refresh the memory of those who saw it, and to let it be known to those who do not yet.

Their bodies are of moderate size, like the donkeys, their fur, like that of the panther, white and speckled with fiery red spots, the posture, as in the camels, ascending only from the rump to the shoulders, so that the fore feet considerably exceed the hind feet. The neck rises high as in the cranes and runs out in a head, so that the animal wins something defiant and proud. The head is small and of a camel like form. It is white on the stomach, and from the neck runs a black line all the way down to the insignificant tail in a straight-ahead direction. The feet are as thin as a deer and split. Moreover, she is tame, so that she lets herself be led by children by the nose and obediently follows everywhere; She eats grass, but also lets herself be fed like sheep with bread and barley. She is of a benign character; against infringing attacks, she has no means of protection - as nature largely grants to animals to defend against attacks - neither hooves like horses, or horns like cattle - for she is not crowned with horns either - nor tusks like that Boars, claws like cats, but teeth that, I believe, cause only moderate bites, just strong enough to ward off injury without harm; for the teeth also contain no poison, as with those animals which nature has provided with such. This animal being brought from Ethiopia and presented to the Emperor, was shown in the streets for several days to the people.