r.HAP. I. THE WILD ELEPHANT OF CEYLON. 9 



these plants. When the dry weather destroys this 

 supply of food in one district, they migrate to another 

 part of the country. 



They come forth to feed about 4 p.m., and they 

 invariably retire to the thickest and most thorny 

 jungle in the neighbourhood of their feeding-place by 

 7 A.M. In these impenetrable haunts they consider 

 themselves secure from aggression. 



The period of gestation with an elephant is sup- 

 posed to be two years, and the time occupied in at- 

 taining full growth is about sixteen years. The whole 

 period of life is supposed to be a hundred years, but 

 my own opinion would increase that period by fifty. 



The height of elephants varies to a great degree, 

 and in all cases is very deceiving. In Ceylon, an ele- 

 phant is measured at the shoulder, and nine feet at 

 this point is a very large animal. There is no doubt 

 that many elephants far exceed this, as I have shot 

 them so large that two tall men could lie at full 

 length from the point of the forefoot to the shoulder ; 

 but this is not a common size : the average height at 

 the shoulder would be about seven feet. 1 



Not more than one in three hundred has tusks ; 

 they are merely provided with short grubbers, project- 

 ing generally about three inches from the upper jaw, 

 and about two inches in diameter ; these are called 

 'tushes' in Ceylon, and are of so little value that they 



1 The males 7 ft. 6 in., the females 7 ft., at the shoulder. 



