INTELLIGENCE OF ANIMALS. 353 



The elephant, though one of the clumsiest of 

 animals, exhibits marks of high intelligence, and 

 evidently understands the language in which he 

 is addressed. He can be stimulated to unusual 

 exertions by the promise of a reward. " I have 

 seen," says a French writer, "two occupied in 

 beating down a wall which their keepers had 

 desired them to do and encouraged them by a 

 promise of fruits and brandy." They were left 

 alone and continued at the work, stimulated by 

 the promised reward, until it was accomplished. 

 " When a reward is promised to an elephant," 

 says the same author, " it is dangerous to disap- 

 point him, as he never fails to revenge the insult." 

 Nothing of this could occur without an under- 

 standing of the language. 



In India they were formerly employed to 

 launch vessels, and it is related that one being 

 directed to force a large ship into the water, the 

 task proved beyond his strength ; whereupon 

 his master, in a sarcastic tone, ordered the 

 keeper to take away this lazy beast and bring 



