490 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. ' 



elephant, man might rescue himself or his property from immersion in 

 the swanrps. 



The memory of elephants is of a highly remarkable nature, both as 

 to its duration and in its operation as enabling the animal to recognize 

 friends and foes. I am fortunate in being able to place on record an 

 instance of elephant memory of a very interesting kind, and one which 

 serves to show in a highly typical manner the remembrance by these 

 animals of kindness, and also of the reverse treatment. In 1874 

 Wombwell's menagerie visited Tenbury, in Gloucestershire, and on 

 that occasion the female elephant, " Lizzie " by name, drank a large 

 quantity of cold water when heated after a long walk the animal, as 

 a consequence, being attacked with severe internal spasms. A local 

 chemist, a Mr. Turley, being called in as medical adviser, succeeded 

 in relieving the elephant's pain, the treatment including the application 

 of a very large blister to the side. The menagerie in due course went 

 its way ; but, in May, 1879, it again visited Tenbury, and, as Mr. Tur- 

 ley stood at his shop-door watching the zoological procession pass down 

 the street, the elephant stepjDed out of the ranks, crossed from one side 

 of the street to the other, and, having advanced to Mr. Turley, placed 

 her trunk round his hand and held it firmly, at the same time making, 

 as Mr. Turley informs me, a peculiar grunting noise, as if by way of 

 welcome. Thus it was clear that, after an interval of five years, " Liz- 

 zie " had recognized an old friend in Mr. Turley, and that, moreover, 

 she remembered him with a sense of gratitude for his successful en- 

 deavors to relieve the pain from which she had suffered. At night 

 Mr. Turley visited the menagerie, when the elephant again made every 

 demonstration of joy, and embraced him with her trunk. She drew 

 Mr. Turley's attention particularly to the side whereon the blister had 

 been applied, thus showing that all the circumstances of five years 

 previous were fresh in her memory. Observing that in 1881 the me- 

 nagerie had again visited Tenbury, I wrote to Mr. Turley, inquiring if 

 " Lizzie " had again recognized her old friend. That gentleman re- 

 plied, his letter bearing date May, 1881, that she had again recognized 

 him, beginning to " trumpet " whenever she beheld Mr. Turley among 

 the spectators in the menagerie. On his speaking to his patient, she 

 placed her trunk round his legs and lifted him from the ground, but 

 in the gentlest manner possible. On Mr. Turley proceeding to exam- 

 ine one of her hind-legs, which had been under treatment, the elephant 

 kept holding one of her fore-legs toward him in such a fashion as to 

 draw his attention to the limb. As Mr. Turley, however, had had no 

 concern with the fore-leg, he was puzzled to account for the animal's 

 movement ; but the keeper explained that the fore-leg in question had 

 been treated by a veterinary surgeon for an injury, and that the latter 

 had used his lancet to afford relief. The elephant was irritated by 

 the operation, and expressed her resentment on again seeing the veter- 

 inary practitioner by striking at him with her trunk. The act of call- 



