ClIAP. II.] 



HABITS WHEX WILD. 



319 



single fence disturbed, altliougli the merest movement 

 of a trmik would be sufficient to demolish the fragile 

 structiu^e. Yet the same spots, as soon as the grain has 

 been cut and carried home, are eagerly entered by the 

 elephants, who resort to glean amongst the stubble. 



Sportsmen observe that the elephant, even when en- 

 rao'ed by a wound, will hesitate to charge its assailant 

 across an intervening hedge, but will hurry along it to 

 seek for an opening. It is possible that, in the mind of 

 the elephant, there may be some instinctive conscious- 

 ness, that owing to his superior bulls:, he is exposed to 

 danger from sources that might be perfectly harmless 

 in the case of hghter animals, and hence his suspicion 

 that every fence may conceal a snare or pitfall. Some 

 similar apprehension is apparent in the deer, which shrinks 

 from attempting a fence of ^^^re, although it will clear 

 without hesitation a soHd wall of greater height. At the 

 same time, the caution with which the elephant is sup- 

 posed to approach insecm-e ground and places of doubtftil ^ 

 sohdity, appears to me, so far as my own observation 

 and experience extend, to be exaggerated, and the num- 

 ber of temporary bridges which are annually broken 

 down by elephants in all parts of Ceylon, is sufficient 

 to show that, although in captivity, and when famihar 

 with such structures, the tame ones may, and doubt- 

 less do, exhibit all the wariness attributed to them ; yet, 

 in a state of liberty, and whilst unaccustomed to such 

 artificial apphances, their instincts are not sufficient to 

 ensure their safety. Besides, the fact is adverted to 

 elsewhere^, that the chiefs of the Wanny, dming the 

 sovereignty of the Dutch, were accustomed to take in 

 pitfalls the elephants which they rendered as tribute to 

 government. 



1 "One of tlie strougest instincts 

 wliich the elephant possesses, is this 

 whieh impels him to experiment 

 npon the solidity of eveiy surface 

 wliieh he is refpiired to cross." 



—3Ienagenes, S,-c. " The Elephant," 

 vol. i. pp. 17, 19, 6G. 



^ Wolf's Life and Adventures, 

 p. 151. See p. 335, note. 



