718 AFRICAN GAME ANIMALS 



The depth or size of the fossa occupying the upper surface 

 of the premaxillary bones Hkevvise depends upon the size of 

 the tusks also. In a great measure the size of the skull is 

 influenced by the tusks, the larger-tusked elephants having 

 decidedly the larger skulls. Besides the individual varia- 

 tions in skulls due to tusk diff^erences, there is a marked age 

 variation. The dome of the skull as represented by the 

 cellular mass of bony tissue which surrounds the brain 

 grows throughout a long period and seems to keep pace in 

 its development with the growth of the tusks. On this 

 account only skulls of absolutely the same age may be com- 

 pared as regards their shape or the relative proportion of 

 parts. 



We found elephant in the cool forests and bamboo belts 

 of Mount Kenia and among Its foot-hills; in the open plains 

 and scanty thorn woods near the 'Nzoia River; in the tree 

 jungle and tall elephant grass of Uganda; and in the hot, 

 dry country along both banks of the upper White Nile. 



With the possible exception of the lion, the elephant is 

 the wisest and most interesting of all the kinds of big game. 

 Most wild animals lead very simple lives; and, while most of 

 them at times perform queer and unexpected feats or show 

 traits that upset the observer's previous generalizations, 

 there is ordinarily not much variety or originality in what 

 they do. But the lion is forced by the exigencies of a life 

 of prey to develop abilities as marked as they are sinister; 

 and the elephant, instead of growing in stupidity as well as 

 weight, has become the most intelligent of graminivores, 

 with an emotional and intellectual nature sufficiently com- 

 plex to make him a subject of endless interest to the observer. 



The elephant's physical and mental equipment fits it for 

 life under utterly diverse conditions. Most game animals 

 live in narrowly circumscribed habitats; for instance, the 



