ELEPHANT. 



ELEPHANT. 



she never afterwards recognises or acknowledges it. " This separation," 

 adds Mr. Corse, "sometimes happens unavoidably, when they were 

 enticed separately into the outlet of the Keddah. I have been much 

 mortified at such unnatural conduct in the mother, particularly when 

 it was evident the young elephant knew its dam, and by its plaintive 

 cries and submissive approaches solicited her assistance." 



and Merghee is termed Sunkareah (from ' sunkarah,' a mixture), or 

 Merghabauliah (for the mo=t part Merghee) ; but a farther mixture 

 or crossing of the breed renders it extremHy difficult for the hunters 

 to ascertain the variety. Besides the Koomareah, Merghee, and 

 Sunkareah breeds, several varieties are generally to be found in the 

 same herd ; but the nearer an elephant approaches to the true 



Skeleton of Elephant. 



There are two living species of the genus Eltjiluu : 

 E. Indicu, the Asiatic Elephant. It differs from the African 

 species, not only in its greater size and in the characters of 

 the teeth and skull, but also in the comparative smalluess 

 of the ears, the paler brown colour of the skin, and in having l 

 four nails on the hind feet instead of three. The sagacity of this i 

 species is also supposed to be greater than that of the African 

 Elephant. But though many wonderful stories are told, and some ; 

 of them are as true as they are wonderful, of the grateful remem- 

 brance which it long retains of benefits conferred, or of the 

 tenacity with which it " treasures up a wrong," and though the 

 instances of its docility, both ancient and modern, are very extra- 

 ordinary, we agree upon the whole with Baron Cuvier, who observes, 

 that after having studied these animals a long time, he never found 

 their intelligence surpass that of a dog nor of many other carnivorous 

 animals. It is imposing to see such a mountain of vitality obedient 

 to the voice of its keeper, and performing feats at his dictation ; and I 

 the massive gravity of its physiognomy assists the impression. 



The following is Mr. Corse's description of a perfect Asiatic 

 Elephant : An elephant is said to be perfect when his ears are large 

 and rounded, not ragged or indented at the margin ; his eyes of a 

 dark hazel-colour, free from specks; the roof of his mouth and his 

 tongue without dark or black spots of any considerable size ; his trunk 

 large, and his tail long, with a tuft of hair reaching nearly to the 

 ground. There must be five nails on each of his fore feet, and four 

 on each of the hind ones, making eighteen in all ; his head well set 

 on, and carried rather high ; the arch or curve of his back rising 

 gradually from the shoulder to the middle, and thence descending to 

 the insertion of the tail, and all his joints firm and strong. 



The following are the castes (Zat) or varieties of the Asiatic 

 Elephant noticed by Mr. Corse. Both males and females are divided 

 into two castes by the natives of Bengal, namely, the Koomareah (of 

 a' princely race) and the Merghee (hunting elephant, from 'mrigah,' a 

 deer, or hunting, or from its slender make), and this without any 

 regard to the appearance, shape, or size of the tusks in the male, as 

 these serve merely to characterise some varieties in the species. The 

 Koomareah is deep-bodied, strong, and compact, with a large trunk ' 

 and short but thick legs. The Merghee is generally taller but is not 

 so compact nor so strong : he travels faster, has a lighter body, and 

 his trunk is both short and slender in proportion to his height. As a 

 large trunk is considered a great beauty in an elephant, the Kooma- 

 reah is preferred, but not only for this, but for its superior strength, 

 and greater capability of sustaining fatigue. The mixed breed is held 

 in greater or less estimation in proportion as it partakes of the quali- 

 ties of the Koomareah or Merghee. A breed from a pure Koomareah 



Koomareah the more he is preferred, especially by the natives, and 

 the higher will be his price ; though Europeans are not so particular, 

 and will sometimes prefer a female Merghee for hunting and riding, 

 when she has good paces, and is mild and tractable. 



The variety of male termed Dauntelah (toothy, having large fine 

 teeth,) produces the largest tusks and the finest ivory : his head is 

 strongly contrasted with that of the Mooknah (probably from ' mookh," 

 the mouth or face), which can hardly be distinguished in this respect 

 from a female elephant ; and the tusks of some of the females are so 

 small as not to appear beyond the lip, while in others they are almost 

 as large as in the variety of male called Mooknah. The Dauntelah is 

 generally more daring and less manageable than the Mooknah ; and 

 for this reason, until the temper and disposition are ascertained, the 

 Europeans prefer the Mooknah ; but the natives, who are fond of 

 show, generally take their chance, and prefer the Dauntelah : and 

 though there is a material difference in their appearance as well as in 

 the value of their tusks, yet, if they are of the same caste, size, and 

 disposition, and perfect, there is scarcely any difference in their price. 



There are many varieties between the Mooknah and Dauntelah, 

 and these are varied according to the variation of the form of the 

 tusks, from the projecting horizontal but rather elevated curve of 

 the Pullung-Daunt * of the true Dauntelah, to the nearly straight 

 tusks of the Mooknah, which point directly downwards. 



Thus the Goneish or Ganesa, which is a Dauntelah that has never 

 had but one tusk and this of the Pullung sort, and which is so called 

 from Ganesa, the Hindoo god of wisdom, who is represented with a 

 head like an elephant's with only one tooth, was sold in Mr. Corse's 

 time to the Hindoo princes for a very high price, to be kept in state 

 and worshipped as a divinity. Another variety of the Dauntelah has 

 the large tusks pointing downwards and projecting only a little 

 beyond the trunk : he is then said to have Soor or Choor-Daunt (Hog's 

 teeth). A third is the Puttel-Dauntee, whose tusks are straight like 

 those of the Mooknah, only much longer and thicker. The Ankoos- 

 Dauntee is a fourth, and has one tusk growing nearly horizontal, like 

 the Pullung-Daunt, and the other like the Puttel-Daunt, and there 

 are other less distinct varieties. 



The term Goondah seems to be used to designate those wandering 

 male elephants which are much larger and stronger than the males 

 generally taken with the herd, the Goondah departing from it or 

 returning to it according to his desire. The {Joondahs are sup- 

 posed to be rarely taken with the herd : when they are so taken, 

 their violence and ferocity render them most destructive. Mr. 



* ' Pullung' signifies a bed or cot, and 'daunt' teeth ; and, from the tusks pro- 

 jecting so regularly, and being a little curved and elevated at the extremities, 

 the natives suppose a man might lie on them at his ease, as on a bed. (Cone.) 



