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THE MAMMOTH AND THE FLOOD CHAP. 
possess a good deal of brains, seems to be shown by the way in 
which a well-trained animal will obey the slightest sign of the 
mahout in India. According to Sir Samuel Baker, localities 
which produce in abundance particular kinds of fruit are remem- 
bered, as well as the time at which the fruit will be at its best. 
Stories of revenge, which are numerous enough, attest, so far as 
their data are to be accepted as accurate, the power of memory 
possessed by the Elephant. 
In spite of their longevity, however, Elephants, unlike Rome, 
have not been built for eternity. We can only find two living 
species; but in past times Elephants were very numerous. They 
commenced, so far as we know, in the Miocene. 
The existing forms are known in a fossil, or at least sub-fossil 
state, from diluvial deposits; and it is interesting to note that the 
African Elephant had formerly a wider range than now. Its bones 
(described as £. priscus) have been met with in Spain and Sicily. 
One of the best known of completely-extinct Elephants is the 
Mammoth, #. primigenius. This great Elephant in most respects 
more nearly approached the existing Indian Elephant. The teeth 
have quite as numerous plates. The tusks were enormous, reach- 
ing a maximum length of 15 feet; they were much curved upwards 
as well as outwards. A large tusk weighs as much as 250 lbs. 
The Mammoth was of exceedingly wide range. Not only was it 
found in various parts of Europe, but it was especially abundant 
in Siberia, as is exemplified by the fact that for the last two 
hundred years as many or more than 100 pairs of tusks annually 
have been sold from that region. It also occurred in America 
together with forms at least not far removed from it, such as Z. 
columbianus. Mammoths have been more than once found as 
entire carcases in the frozen soil of Siberia. The first was dis- 
covered in the year 1799, and rescued some years later for the 
St. Petersburg Museum. This example showed that the Mammoth, 
unlike existing Elephants, was covered with thick wool mingled 
with long and more bristly hairs of some 10 inches in length. 
The softer wool formed a kind of mane beneath the neck, which 
hung down as far as the knees. Another carcase was discovered 
later by Lieut. Benkendorf, who did not save it, but was nearly 
swept along with it into the sea by a flood. These creatures 
died in the position in which they were found by being bogged 
when in search of vegetation or water. 
