NATURAL HISTORY. 



14S 



" Where the elephant, browses at peace in his wood, 

 And the river-horse gambols unscathed in the flood, 

 And the mighty rhinoceros wallows at will, 

 In the pool where the wild ass is drinking his fill." PEINOI.E. 



430. A very imperfect notion of the appearance and texture of the skin of the 

 leading species of the pachydermata, the elephant, rhinoceros, &c., is obtained 

 from examining the specimens which are confined in menageries, even in places 

 where they are treated with the greatest kindness and care. The skin of the 

 elephant in confinement is invariably callous, and often apparently chapped or 

 cracked into pieces, which have little or no sensibility. But when the animal is in 

 good health, and in its proper climate, the skin is smooth and soft, and is probably 

 almost as sensitive to the bite, even of a small insect, as the thinnest skin that can 

 be imagined. When the animal is in this condition, there is, indeed, a wonderful 

 power in the muscles of the skin, so that by agitation of these alone an elephant is 

 capable of shaking off a wild beast which may have sprung upon it. 



The hide of the rhinoceros is probably thicker than that of any other pachyder- 

 matous animal. Yet the creature is remarkably sensitive of the condition of its 

 *kin, which, though not possessed of a high degree of feeling, exerts a considerable 

 influence over the comfort of the animal. Hence the rhinoceros and other thick- 

 skinned quadrupeds inhabiting hot climates, will remain for hours in the water, 

 laving their skins, for which purpose it is absolutely necessary to provide baths for 

 these animals when they are kept in confinement. 



431. The pachydermctia are subdivided into 



1. Proboscidw, o* those possessing a prolonged snout or proboscis 



