Natural Hlflcry oftheEhphant. - 847 



From hence it appeai-s, that the mean length of the ftandjrd yard, taken from the feven firll in- 

 flaiices in this tabic, agrees with the quantity aflumed by Mr. Bird, or Mr. Troughtpn, tq 



within x5\-5 inch, but that the latter is the loa^efl:. 



II J. 



01'f.rvathm en the Mi^nners, Habits, and Natural H'ljlory of the Elephant. By JoHN 



Co/iS£,Efq. (Concluded from p. ig'j-J 



'URING the time they were kept together, the male never {hewed figns of his paflions 

 being excited, by any exudation from the dufls of the glands near his temples; which is gene- 

 rally confidered as the fign of a male elephant being peculiarly ready for the female. This, 

 however, I am inclined to believe is a vulgar error; as not one of the male elephants I have 

 feen cover, in a domeftic ftate, nor any of the males which were caught fingly, or rather en- 

 trapped, by their defires to have connexion with the tame females, had, at thofe times, the 

 fmalleft appearance of fuch an exudation. Had this happened, in any one inftance, during 

 my refidence in Tiperah, I think I mud have known it; for when this exudation takes place, 

 the elephant has a dull heavy look, and it is dangerous for ftrangers.to go near him. I have 

 feen elephants in this fituation after they had been many years caught; but though they were 

 then faid to have their paflions excited, I have never known one to cover during the con- 

 tinuance of this exudation ; nor have elephants, fo far as I have been able to obferve, any par- 

 ticular feafons of love, like horfes and cattle. Of five inftances of elephants covered at Ti- 

 perah, one received the male in February, another in April, a third in June, a fourth in Sep- 

 tember, and the fifth in Oftober. Befides thefe, an attempt was made by a tame male to 

 cover in the month of January a wild female, then in heat*. When the female is in heat, 

 the parts of generation fhew it, by an unufual fullnefs of the labia : and, if fhe is placed near 

 a male, Ihe endeavours, by carefles, to excite his defiresf . 



After the female had been covered by the male, as has been juft related, there being then no 

 other female ready, he was placed with an elephant which had had a young one about four 

 years before this, and fome months ago was reported to have been in heat. It was thought, 

 after fome trial, that (he was likely to permit him to cover, as fhe careffed him occafionally, 

 and roufed his paflions ; but fhe would not allow him to gratify his defire. 



* Many pregnant females are taken every year at Tiperah, and produce young ones in the different 

 months : this clearly fliows, that there are no particular feafons during which the females are in heat. 



f It may be proper to obferve, that the penis of a full-grown elephant is from two feet four to two feet 

 fix inches in length, and from fourteen to fixteen inches in circumference. I caufed the penis of two males 

 to be meafured, after their paffions were excited, in order to afcertain the real fizc. On fume occafions,,! 

 have feen the penis abfolutcly touch the ground, when the elephant has been walking j but itmuft be recol- 

 kfted, that the hind legs of an elephant are very ihort, in proportion to his fize. 



Kk2 The 



