34 THE ELEPHANT. 



to determine accurately the sum and nature of their spe- 

 cific differences, and to furnish the world with figures of 

 unquestionable fidelity, and executed under all the advantages 

 of the present condition of the arts. These figures, which 

 have recently appeared in the splendid illustrations of the 

 Parisian menagerie, we have had faithfully copied and en- 

 graved for our present Number, so that the differences of form 

 in the two species may be readily observed. 



The head of the elephant of Africa is smaller, more elon- 

 gated, and less irregular in its contour than that of the 

 Asiatic species. The summit is rounded instead of being 

 divided by a central longitudinal depression. But the most 

 striking feature in the African elephant is the enormous 

 size of his ears, which extend over his shoulders, and 

 when agitated to and fro, beat the air with a violence and 

 noise equal to that produced by the flapping of the wings of 

 the condor or other huge bird. On the thick integument 

 which invests the disproportionately small foot of the ele- 

 phant five hoofs may be observed on the fore foot in both 

 species, whilst on the hind foot four hoofs are observable in 

 the Asiatic elephant, and three only in the African. We 

 should be mistaken, however, in supposing that the number 

 of toes strictly corresponded to these outward indications ; 

 for in both species, when the skin and flesh are removed and 

 the bony framework is exposed, these huge productions of 

 nature are seen to have been constructed on the same plan, 

 and the ultimate divisions of all the four extremities are seen 

 in the skeleton to be into five distinct parts or toes. 



It has been observed that the extremity of the proboscis in 

 the African elephant is better constructed as a prehensile 

 organ, and that he seizes thin substances with greater ease 

 and effect than his Eastern relative. The tail in the African 

 species is shorter by half its length than in the Asiatic. 



These characters are open to superficial inspection, and 

 may be readily seized by the youngest student of zoology : 

 but the most important specific distinction requires a closer 

 investigation : it is derived from the differences presented 

 by the worn- down surfaces of the grinding teeth ; — those 

 of the Asiatic elephant presenting parallel transverse wavy 

 ridges, while the African's grinders are marked by transverse 

 lozenge- shaped ridges. 



The degree of difference, therefore, between those two ani- 

 mals, when strictly considered with reference to the modern 

 methods in zoology, is even greater than usually separates 

 species such as the dog and wolf ; and is equivalent rather to 

 that which distinguishes the dog from the hyena. A distinct 



