SOUNDS MADE BY ELEPHANTS. 49 



monly met with in the belt of lighter jungle which intervenes between the 

 virgin forest and cultivation. 



Herds of elephants usually consist of from thirty to fifty individuals, 

 but much larger numbers, even one hundred, are by no means uncommon. 

 When large herds are in localities where fodder is not very plentiful, they 

 divide into parties of from ten to twenty ; these remain separate, though 

 within two or three miles of each other. But they all take part in any 

 common movement, such as a march into another tract of forest. The dif- 

 ferent parties keep themselves informed at all times of each other's where- 

 abouts, chiefly by their fine sense of smell. I have observed that tame 

 elephants can wind wild ones at a distance of three miles when the wind is 

 favourable. Each herd of elephants is a family in which the animals are 

 nearly allied to each other. Though the different herds do not intermix, 

 escaped tame female elephants, or young males, appear to find no difficulty 

 in obtaining admittance to herds. 



In a herd of elephants the females with their calves form the advanced- 

 guard, whilst the tuskers follow leisurely behind ; though, if terrified and 

 put to flight, the order is speedily reversed, the mothers with calves falling 

 behind, as the unencumbered tuskers have no one to see to but themselves. 

 I have never known a case of a tusker's undertaking to cover the retreat of 

 a herd. A herd is invariable led by a female, never a male, and the females 

 with young ones are at all times dangerous if intruded upon. The necessity 

 for the convenience of the mothers of the herd regulating its movements is 

 evident, as they must accommodate the length and time of their marches, 

 and the localities in which they rest or feed at different hours, to the require- 

 ments of their young ones ; consequently the guidance of a tusker would 

 not suit them. 



Elephants make use of a great variety of sounds in communicating with 

 each other, and in expressing their wants and feelings. Some are uttered 

 by the trunk, some by the throat. The conjunctures in which either means 

 of expression is employed cannot be strictly classified, as fear, pleasure, want, 

 and other emotions, are sometimes indicated by the trunk, sometimes by 

 the throat. An elephant rushing upon an assailant trumpets shrilly with 

 fury, but if enraged by wounds or other causes, and brooding by itself, it 

 expresses its anger by a continued hoarse grumbling from the throat. Fear 

 is similarly expressed in a shrill brassy trumpet, or by a roar from the 

 lungs. Pleasure by a continued low squeaking through the trunk, or an 

 almost inaudible purring sound from the throat. Want — as a calf call- 

 ing its mother — is chiefly expressed by the throat. A peculiar sound is 

 made use of by elephants to express dislike or apprehension, and at the 



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