PREFACE. ix 



killing the wild animals as a matter of business, and 

 making a livelihood by the sale of dried flesh, hides, 

 and buftalo-horns. This unremitting slaughter of the 

 game during all seasons has been most disastrous, 

 and at length necessitated the establishment of laws 

 for its protection. 



As the elephants have decreased in Ceylon, so in 

 like manner their number must be reduced in Africa 

 by the continual demand for ivory. Since the ' Rifle 

 and Hound ' was written, I have had considerable 

 experience with the African elephant. 



This is a distinct species, as may be seen by a 

 comparison with the Indian elephant in the Zoolo- 

 gical Gardens of the Regent's Park. 



In Africa, all elephants are provided with tusks ; 

 those of the females are small, averaging about twenty 

 pounds the pair. The bull's are sometimes enor- 

 mous. I have seen a pair of tusks that weighed 300 

 lbs., and I have met with single tusks of 160 lbs. 

 During this year (1874) a tusk was sold in London 

 that weighed 188 lbs. 



As the horns of deer vary in different localities, 

 so the ivory is also larger and of superior quality in 

 certain districts. This is the result of food and 

 climate. The average of bull elephant's tusks in 



