THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. 105 



can now be made with facility, since the arrival of 

 two young animals in the Zoological Gardens. Of 

 these, the male was sent over last July, and the 

 female some weeks later, the first living African 

 elephants ever received in this country. On a first 

 view of them the spectator will be struck by the 

 outline of the head of the African elephant (see 

 engraving Fig. 1), which is much more convex in 

 shape than that of the Asiatic animal. The lower 

 jaw is less deep and massive, and the ridge of the 

 back higher. Another notable difference consists 

 in the peculiar form of the grasping organ at the 

 extremity of the trunk, which in the African animal 

 consist of two prehensive lips, opposable to each 

 other, and which act in much the same manner as 

 the human thumb and fore-finger, forming a much 

 more efficient instrument than that of the Asiatic 

 elephant, which possesses only one appendage at 

 the end of the proboscis, which requires to be bent 

 over, when in use, to meet the lower surface. 



The young male at the Gardens has become a 

 very popular character since his arrival. He is on 

 the best of terms with the two Indian elephants in 

 the society's possession, frequently bathing with 

 them during the hot weather, and being especially 

 friendly with the young Indian male, of about his 

 own age and size. The difference between the two 

 species is most obvious when seen side by side. 



