456 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914. 
largest elephant ever seen in captivity. They differ notably from 
the Asiatic species both in the shape of the body and the enor- | 
mous triangular ears which overlap each other on top of the neck 
when at rest but stand out at right angles when the animal is ex- 
cited. The males reach greater size than the Asiatic, occasionally ex- 
ceeding 11 feet, and have very large and heavy valuable tusks, which 
_have caused them to be gradually killed off in the more accessible 
regions. The animal is now protected by governmental regulations. 
Its hunting is by no means free from danger, and in this respect it 
ranks with the lion and buffalo. While its sight is not very good, it 
has a very keen sense of smell. Naturalists consider that there are 
several species and varieties in Africa. In modern times it has not 
been reduced to servitude like the Asiatic species, but it is supposed 
that the war elephants used by the Carthaginians were African. 
The park has both a male and a female hippopotamus captured in 
East Africa. This most characteristic and striking of the animals of 
African rivers lives mostly on coarse herbage and water plants, but 
often ravages the crops of the natives, doing great damage, as it is 
an enormous eater and its stomach will easily hold 5 or 6 bushels. 
In captivity it is fed upon hay and various vegetables, with a little 
crushed oats, bran, and stale bread by way of delicacies, but hardly 
eats as much as would be expected from an animal of its size. When 
adult it may reach a weight of 4 tons. It thrives well in captivity 
and breeds regularly, so that many of the zoological collections of 
the world have been supplied from the offspring of captive hippo- 
potami. 
The tapirs also belong to the family of thick-skinned animals, or 
pachyderms. They have a short proboscis, small eyes, and short, 
thick legs. They are fond of standing or lying partially immersed 
in water. When wild they feed on roots, grasses, water plants, the 
leaves of certain trees, and sometimes on cultivated crops, to the 
inconvenience of planters. In captivity they are fed with ordinary 
garden vegetables. The adult tapir is of a dull, dark brown color, 
while the young are marked with gay stripes and spots of yellow and 
of white. They lose these markings after six months or so. 
The little fellow shown in plate 10 is one of several born in the 
park. He was tame and good tempered. 
THE GREAT CATS. 
Within the lion house are, besides many other animals, a number 
of large cats, such as lions and tigers. The lion shown in plate 14 is 
one of five presented to the park by Mr. McMillan, of Hast Africa. 
These were caught when quite young cubs and reared by hand at 
Nairobi. They are distinguished by very heavy and powerful hind- 
quarters, and are of a beautiful tawny color. 
