Jean Brigham, age 8, of Newport News, Va., for her question:

HOW DOES A GIRAFFE SLEEP?

The remarkable giraffe can go a long time without water and sleep. Some people say he sleeps only a couple of hours each night. Others suspect often he does not doze off at all. In any case, sleeping must be quite a problem, for his lanky legs are more than 6 feet long.

If and when he does go to sleep, you might think such a tall animal must remain standing up. But this is not so. Somehow he manages to fold his long legs under his body and crouch down on the ground. He may doze off with head held high in the air. But more often he curves his neck around and lets it rest on his back.  

When he rises, he unfolds his front legs first and wags his long neck to heave himself up from the ground.