EIjEPHAS INDICUS. 229 



immature, the lower jaw possesses incisors. The carpus has the same 

 number of bones as in man, and there are five complete bony phalanges. 

 The stomach is simple ; the intestines voluminous, and the colon and 

 cpecum are enormous. The testes of the male are deeply situated in the 

 abdomen, near the kidneys. The brain has niimerous small but deep 

 convolutions, and the cerebellum is very large. There are two genera 

 of elephants, distinguished by the form of the molars, but one of them is 

 now extinct. 



Gen. Elephas, Linnreus. 



Char. — Molars usually 2 on each side above and below, the crown 

 flattened. They are formed of a number of vertical lamellse, consisting 

 of bone, enamel, and another substance, called cortical, or crusta petrosa. 



The huge tusks are cylinddcal with a conical tij), like the so-called 

 incisors of rodents^ which, as before stated, they closely resemble, and 

 they grow from a persistent pulp, which is constantly forming new ivory. 

 They are formed of ivory and enamel only. The laminae of the molar 

 teeth are arranged transversely to the direction of the jaw ; also as in 

 rodents. The grinders succeed each other from behind forwards, so 

 that each tooth as it becomes worn is pushed forwards by the one 

 behind it ; and thus at times the elephant has only one, at other times 

 two molars on each side, according to its age. It is said that these 

 molai's are renewed eight times in some elephants. The tusks are only 

 renewed once, between the first and second years of age. The skin is 

 very thick, and nearly devoid of hairs. 



Elephants are huge unwieldy animals with large ears, long and thick 

 limbs, and a long tail. They only occur now in the tropical regions of 

 the old w^orld, but in former ages wore also denizens of even the northern 

 portions of the old continent. There are two well-marked species, one 

 from Africa, the other Indian, and a third species is indicated. 



211. Elephas indicus. 



CuviER. ' — Blyth, Cat. p. 134. — Elliot, Cat. 48. — E. asiaticus, 

 Blumenbach. — JIathi, H. — Ani, Tam., Tel., Can., and Mai. — Yenu, of 

 the Gonds. 



The Indian Elephakt. 



Descr, — Head oblong, with a concave forehead ; crowns of the molars 



