664 . PROBOSCIDEA. 



feeding in the greatest peace and harmony. When they travel, no 

 obstacles deter them. They climb steep hills, they swim lakes and 

 streams, they easily force themselves through the thickest jungle, and 

 form regular tracks as they march in Indian file. The old supersti- 

 tion that they could not lie down is unfounded ; but may have arisen 

 from the fact that they often sleep standing. The sight of the elephant 

 is not highly developed, but its other senses are delicate, especially 

 that of hearing. Every sportsman has learned that the snapping of a 

 twig will start a whole herd. The intellectual faculties of the elephant 

 resemble those of the higher mammals ; he reflects before acting, he 

 learns by e.xperience, he is very susceptible of teaching, and remembers 

 what he learns. They have the sense to avoid the neighborhood of 

 trees during a thunder-storm;, a fact which proves a considerable 

 reasoning power. Still, in his wild life the elephant is cunning rather 

 than sagacious. The herds consist of various numbers, from ten up to 

 hundreds. Kirk saw eight hundred together on the Zambesi river. 

 Each herd consists of a single famil}', under the rule of a patriarch, 

 who leads and guards the others, providing in every way for their 

 safety. The elephant grows till it is about twcnt}', and probably lives 

 till it is a hundred and twenty. 



The Elephant is found in a wild state in Asia and in Africa. In the 

 former continent it inhabits India, Burmah, and Siam, as well as the 

 islands of Ceylon, Borneo, and Sumatra. In the latter it is a native 

 of all the Interior whenever it is clothed with forests or with grass. 

 Probably it never extended to the range of Mount Atlas. It was exter- 

 minated in the Cape of Good Hope at the end of the last century. In 

 North as well as in South Africa it is receding before the advance ot 

 civilization. 



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