1^ Natural Hijlcry of the Elephant. 



tjculars, not. formerly known, in the natural hiftory of the elephant. Soon after my arrival at 

 Tiperah, while informing myfelf of the methods of taking wild elephants, I had occalm to oh- 

 ferve, that many errors, relative to the habits and manners of that ufcful animal, had been 

 ftated in the writings of European authors, and countenanced by fome of the moft approved 

 i^riters. 



'^he elephant has been declared to poffefs the fentiment of modefty in a high degree ; and, by 

 fome, his fagacity was fuppofedto excite feelings for the lofs of liberty, fo acute as to caufe 

 him to refufe to propagate his fpecies while in flavery, left he fhould entail on his progeny a fate 

 fimilar to his own ; whilft others have afferted, that he loft the power of procreation in the do- 

 meftic ftate. 



So circumftanced, I was defirous of taking advantage of my fituation, and of making Tuch 

 experiments and obfervations, as might tend to render more perfedl the natural hitlory of this 

 ufeful animal* 



Early in the year 1 789, I gave an account of the methods then ufed for taking and training 

 wild elephants, to the Afiatic Society in Calcutta, which was publifhed in vol. iii. of their 

 Refearches: and the following experiments and obfervations, made fince that period, on the 

 natural hiftory of the elephant, will not, I hope, prove unworthy the attention of the Royal 

 Society. 



"The young of the elephant, at its birth, is about 35 inches high ; and, as a knowledge of its 

 progreflive growth forms thebeft criterion by which we can judge of the age of this animal, I 

 Ihall here note down fome obfervations made on this fubjeit, till the elephant has attained its 

 full fize ; for, after this period, till figns of old age appear, I do not know any marks by which 

 a tolerable guefs can be made of the number of its years, unlcfs we could examine the teeth ac- 

 curately ; and, even then, there would be much uncertainty. 



Very erroneous notions have been entertained, with refpefl: to the fize of elephants, in difFer- 

 ent parts of India ; for which reafon, I have colleded fuch facts as were likely to afcertain their 

 general height. The following obfervations, of the gradual increafe of growth, were made 

 upon a young elephant of Mr. Stephen Harris, which was accurately meafured from time to 

 time, and upon a female elephant of my own, till I left Tiperah. 



Mr. Harris's elephant, at its birth, October 16, 1789, was 35 inches high. 



Feet. Inches. 

 In one year he grew 1 1 inches, and was 3 lo high. 



- 4 6 

 5 o 



5 5 



5 10 



- 6 li 

 - - 6 4 



Exce{« during his 4th and 5th years, the above meafarement fhows a gradual decreafe in 



the 



