AFRICAN ELEPHANT 113 



leading characteristics are that they are large pachy- 

 derms with a long " trunk " or proboscis, which is 

 prehensile and serves the animal in lieu of an arm and 

 hand ; incisor teeth in the form of tusks situated in the 

 mandible or premaxillae, and large grinding teeth or 

 molars, with transverse ridges. Canine teeth are absent. 

 The legs are not bent at the knee and elbow, which is 

 the reason for the peculiar walk of the Elephant. The 



FIG. 35. Young African Elephant (about 9 years old). 



nails (five in number) are short and hoof- like and the 

 body is very sparsely haired. There are no clavicles and 

 the brain :s fairly primitive and deeply set. The stomach 

 is simple. The mammae are thoracic and two in number. 



Elephas africanus. African Elephant. Afrikaanse Olifant. 



The African Elephant differs principally from its 

 Indian brother in the enormous size of the ears, the 

 shape of the forehead, which is convex (in opposition to 



