Marks of a high-caste Elephant. 2 1 



So conversant are the natives with the structure and 

 " points " of the elephant, that they divide them readily 

 into castes, and describe with particularity their dis- 

 tinctive excellences and defects. In the Hastisilpe, a 

 Singhalese work which treats of their natural manage- 

 ment, the marks of inferior breeding are said to be " eyes 

 restless like those of a crow, the hair of the head of 

 mixed shades ; the face wrinkled ; the tongue curved and 

 black ; the nails short and green ; the ears small ; the 

 neck thin, the skin freckled ; the tail without a tuft, and 

 the fore-quarter lean and low ; " whilst the perfection of 

 form and beauty is supposed to consist in the " softness 

 of the skin, the red colour of the mouth and tongue, the 

 forehead expanded and hollow, the ears broad and rect- 

 angular, the tnuik broad at the root and blotched with 

 pink in front ; the eyes bright and kindly, the cheeks 

 large, the neck full, the back level, the chest square, the 

 fore legs short and convex in front, the hind quarter 

 plump, and five nails on each foot, all smooth, polished, 

 and round. 1 An elephant with these perfections," says 

 the author of the Hastisitpe, "will impart glory and 

 magnificence to the king ; but he cannot be discovered 

 amongst thousands, yea, there shall never be found an 

 elephant clothed at once with all the excellences herein 

 described." The " points " of an elephant are to be 

 studied with the greatest advantage in those attached to 

 the temples, which are always of the highest caste, and 

 exhibit the most perfect breeding. 



' A native of rank informed me, that sometimes touch the ground, but such 

 " the tail of a high-caste elephant will are very rare." 



