APPENDIX. 253 



the plate is very rocky and the chief plants are strange rock and mountainous plants and 

 lichens. However, there is a certain amount of grass, so possibly it is that which tempts them 

 there, as they can graze on it in ihc open with little chance of being disturbed by men in these 

 rocky solitudes. 



On the paths along the ridges old bamboos may be seen with their glaze rubbed off by the 

 constant passing and repassing of elephants. 



Elephant there do not stampede on such a broad front as they do in other places. 

 Where there is a steep hill to be negotiated they may be seen pushing and jostling each other to 

 get the path to which they are accustomed. 



Old Bulls. — The old males shun the society of the females and young, so for this reason 

 big tusks are seldom obtained by approaching a herd. Occasionally an animal with 6olb. tusks 

 may be found running with a herd, but the usual weight of the biggest males with a herd is 3olb. 

 to 4olb. \n examination of the tusks of these herd-bulls will generally show that the hollows 

 are large, proving that they are young animals. Thus an animal with 6olb. tusks may be found 

 with large hollows. If such an animal had lived it would probably have become a very big 

 tusker. On the other hand, an animal with forty-pounders may be found to have very small 

 hollows, showing that he is an old animal and not likely to grow tusks much bigger. Such an 

 old 40-pounder will as likely as not be found to have left the herd and taken to a solitary life, 

 whereas, perhaps, the young sixty-pounder may still be running with the herd. 



The actual weight of the tusks is no indication of the animal's age, except that the immense 

 tuskers, such as over loolb., are almost certain to be old animals, and thus be found apart from 

 the herds. These old males, viz., males with small hollow's to their tusks, are generally either 

 solitary or wander about in small parties, the usual number being from one to five. Larger 

 parties will generally consist of younger animals. I have met with a party of between twenty 

 and twenty-five large bulls together, with tusks running from about 3olb. to 651b. These I 

 believe, however, were all youngish males. The very big tuskers seem generally to go with but 

 one to three companions. These old males are generally cunning old fellows, and, as a rule, live 

 in very thick country and never leave it for more open kinds. They wind and twist so in their 

 day's wanderings that they always stand a very good chance of winding anyone following them, 

 whilst the hunter remains unaware of their presence when they are standing still until he has 

 almost run into them. 



Abnormal Tusks. — By page 223 is a photograph of an elephant Iniil with abnormal tusks of 

 a very peculiar shajjc. The measurements of the tusks were as follows ; — 



Right tusk (slightly curved) : Length, 6 feet 6 inches; girth, 16 inches: weight, 53II1. 



Left tusk (nearly straight): ,, 6 ,, yi ,, „ i6i ,, ,, 6ilb. 



The height of the animal was 10 feet 10 inches at shoulder. 



The tail was abnormally long, being 57^ inches from the root to the conmieinrm.MU of 

 the hairs. 



The ear was 70 inches in length from lop to bottom. 



The right tusk curved forwards, hut was considerably straighler than most male elephant's 

 tusks. 



The left tusk grew straight downwards, slightly behind and in line with the trunk, so that 

 it was only noticeable when the trunk was swung forwards, when it was visible behind it. The 

 animal was covered with sores and wounds from the tusks of his fellows, so it would appear thai 

 he was not very popular, although he was amongst a large herd of males. 



