THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT 



H33 



Between 1860 and 1862, the Yakoots discovered another frozen carcass on a 

 tributary of the Lena; and an expedition from St. Petersburg, which unfortunately 

 arrived too late, was dispatched to secure the prize. The summer of 1867 revealed 

 another of these frozen carcasses, this time near the Polar Sea in the neighborhood 

 of the river Alasea, and some distance beyond the northern limit of trees. About 

 the same time news arrived of the discovery of a mammoth on the river Kolyma; 

 while a third was discovered in 1870, near the Alasea. 



These isolated finds of frozen carcasses give no idea of the number of mam- 

 moths that inhabited Siberia at a time when its climate must apparently have been 

 far less rigorous than at present; and in order to obtain some adequate conception 

 on this point, we must turn our attention to the trade in mammoth ivory. It ap- 

 pears that in 1872 no less than one thousand six hundred and thirty of these tusks, 

 and in the following year one thousand one hundred and forty were exported to 

 England, and it may be estimated that for a long time fully one hundred and 

 twenty thousand pounds weight of fossil ivory found its way year by year into the 

 market. This means that within a period of twenty years, over twenty thousand 

 mammoths must have been discovered, which affords ample proof that Siberia 

 was as thickly inhabited by these animals, as was ever Africa by the elephant of 

 modern times. It may be added that only about fourteen per cent, of the tusks 

 exported afford first-class ivory, in addition to which about seventeen per cent, are 

 capable of being used where ivory of the best quality is not required. 



THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT (Elephas africanus] 



The African elephant differs widely from its Asiatic congener, not only in 

 external form, but likewise as regards the structure of its molar teeth; the males 

 also reaching larger dimensions than those ordinarily attained by the latter. 

 The most striking external characteristic of the African species is the enormous 

 size of the ears, which, when in repose, completely cover the shoulders, but during 

 periods of excitement are elevated at right angles, and thus communicate a most 

 extraordinary appearance to their 

 owner. The head is also much 

 more convex in the region of the 

 forehead, the eye is larger, and 

 the extremity of the trunk, in- 

 stead of having one long finger- 

 like process on its front edge, 

 has two nearly equal-sized proc- 

 esses, one in front and the other 

 behind. The color of the skin is 

 also somewhat darker. In gen- 

 eral form, the African species is distinguished by the middle of the back being 

 hollowed, and the shoulder the highest point, while the hind-foot carries three in 

 place of four nails. As a general rule, the males and females are furnished with 



A RIGHT UPPER MOLAR TOOTH OF THE AFRICAN 



ELEPHANT. 



(One-third natural size.) 

 (From Sir R. Owen.) 



