1 8 AFRICAN ELEPHANT 



them. And even when, by perseverance and caution, you have arrived 

 almost without arm's reach, perchance only a forehead, a foot, or a 

 waving ear may be visible. 



" These coverts are scattered, sometimes at wide intervals, through 

 the country, from close to the coast, as in the neighbourhood of the 

 flower Sabaki and Tana rivers ; but no herd is confined to any one 

 neighbourhood, each varying its feeding-grounds, and traversing wide 

 tracts, generally by night, when moving from one locality to another, 

 either in search of food or water, or on account of being disturbed, or 

 from caprice. Well-beaten paths generally connect these different 

 resorts ; in fact, so continuously are they thus linked that it is 

 impossible to say where may be the limit of the range of any particular 

 herd. Climatic conditions have also much to do with the movements 

 of elephants. During long periods of drought they repair to the 

 mountains, where rain is more frequent and water abundant ; while 

 during the wet season they wander over drier and more open country, 

 which is shunned at other times. The most favourable localities are, 

 however, generally in the neighbourhood of mountains, or near rivers 

 and lakes. 



" The herds are sometimes very large, occasionally comprising as 

 many as two or three hundred head, though such herds often break up 

 into small parties, which scatter through a district. These, however, 

 keep up communication among themselves, so that when they leave 

 the locality, they do so, if not quite together, within a day or two of 

 one another, such portions as remain following in the tracks of the rest. 

 To a certain extent the behaviour of elephants varies in different districts, 

 according to whether the natives are skilled in the chase ; the same 

 herd being more wary in the latter case than under safer conditions. 



" One of the biggest bulls I killed measured i o feet 9 inches in 

 height at the shoulder, and 1 2 feet 8 or 9 inches in length from the 

 root of the tail to the eye ; while the circumference of the fore-foot 

 was 5 feet. Several other bulls were hardly, if at all, inferior to 

 this one ; and the average height of full-sized males in this part of 

 the country may be put down at from 10 feet 6 to 10 feet 9 inches. 

 Probably some individuals may stand i i feet, but I doubt having ever 

 seen one i 2 feet high. 



" Male elephants accompanying the herds of cows commonly 

 have tusks of about 50 lb. each, while the average of those of other 

 bulls would be from 60 to 80 lb. Tusks of the latter weight would 

 probably measure about 6 feet in length, of which one-third would 

 be in the head and two-thirds protruding; while they would be 



