.t/.i.i/.i/.l/./.l. 447 



Elephas, Liunnciis. 

 E. rsDicrs, Cuv. 

 "Wild elephant. Tor-lisen. 



The Intlian elephant belongs to the subgenus ' Eneleplma,^ of which it is the solo 

 surriviug member, whilst the African elephant is similarly the sole living repre- 

 sentative of the subgenus ' Loxndon.^ In addition to dirt'erences in the teeth, the 

 Indian elephant has a loss rounded head than the African, and very much smaller 

 ears, and one pair fewer ribs. The caudal vertebrae in the Indian animal are, moreover, 

 according to Jerdon, 33, but in the African only 20, a longer tail in the former com- 

 pensating for its shorter ears, as a defence against insects. 



The period of gestation in the elephant would seem to be somewhat variable. 

 Prof. Owen quotes one case of 595 days, another of 593, and Col. Heysham another 

 of 593, and alludes to one of similar length. So that 593 or 594 days may be assumed 

 as the usual duration with Indian elephants. But this period is sometimes exceeded, 

 as in the Zoological Gardens, Pliiladelphia, a case of gestation is recorded of 629 da3's, 

 which displays a variation in length of over a month, but it is not stated if the 

 animal in question was an African or an Indian one (Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 

 xi. p. 129 and Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1880, pp. 23 and 223). It is just possible, too, 

 that the inappropriate food supplied to the animal in America may have had the effect 

 of prolonging gestation, as privation is known to do, in the human female. 



These valuable animals are subject to many iliseases, one of which is thus 

 described by Dr. Mason : 



" The Bghais, in part of Ko-oung in Toung-ngoo, reported that in one year as 

 many as thirty-eight elephants had died with a swelling, sometimes on the breast, 

 sometimes on the legs, and sometimes on the rump. The swelling is local, does 

 not spread to other parts of the body, and they die usually the same day they are 

 attacked, and sometimes in a couple of hours. They seem to be poisoned, as tlieir 

 flesh becomes poisonous. A man, too, brought down the tusks of one that had died, 

 carrying them on his shoulder, and the ])art that had been in contact with the tusks 

 swelled up. Moreover, the man, in cutting out the tusks, allowed the blood of the 

 dead elephant to strike his legs, and his legs swelled up like the elephant's legs. 

 My informant watched one man who was taken in the legs. His legs swelled up, 

 and the swelling passed up to his bowels until he died, but the man complained of 

 no pain, and was sensible, and could talk till he died, being five or six days from 

 the time he was taken ill, but ho lost all appetite, and did not eat rice after the 

 attack. 



" Wlien a Karen has a good male elephant, he hires it out sometimes to the 

 the Burmans, and gets fifty rupees a month. This, so far as I have ever heard, 

 is the maximum. Then, if he can obtain constant work for it, he always lets it 

 rest the throe hot months of the year, lest it should be killed by overwork. The 

 gross annual income therefore for a good male elephant amounts to 450 rupees." 



The Burmans have a superstition regarding the elephant very similar to that 

 which prevails in some parts of India regarding the tiger, to the effect that the spirits 

 of such human victims as he may have killed, ride on his head, and serve to warn Intn 

 of any dangers from pitfalls or hunters who may be plotting his death or capture. 

 The Burmans regard it therefore as a vei'y hopeless attempt to pursue, or even fire 

 at, an elephant which has killed many men, from the protection which he con- 

 sequently enjoys from their spirits in attendance on him. 



It should be known that an elephant when tracked will as a rule 'head back' and 

 return along the path he has just passed, which I ])resumo he docs to avoid the 

 anticipated risk of being driven into a trap or pitfall ; and I know of a fatal case 

 resulting from the ignorance or disregard of this habit of the animal. A large tusker 

 made his appearance in the rains opposite Myanoung on the Irrawaddy, and it was 

 feared ho would drive off some female elephants belonging to the Forest Depart- 

 ment, which had been turned out into the forest to feed. A party therefore started 

 from Myaiiouug to kill or drive him away. The ground was a swampy plain, covered 

 \^•itll water and tall elephant grass, through which almost the only way for a man on 



