ELEPHANTS. 221 



round the fire, one of them began to play a plaintive air 

 upon the violin. He had scarcely performed ten minutes, 

 when a mouse, apparently frantic, made its appearance 

 in the centre of the floor. The strange gestures of the 

 little animal strongly excited the attention of the officers, 

 who with one consent resolved to suffer it to continue 

 its singular actions unmolested. Its exertions appeared 

 to be greater every moment. It shook its head, leapt 

 about, and exhibited signs of the most exquisite delight. 

 It was observed that in proportion to the gradations of 

 the tones to the soft point, the feelings of the animal 

 appeared to be increased. After performing actions 

 which an animal so diminutive would at first sight 

 seem incapable of, the little creature, to the astonish- 

 ment of the delighted spectators, suddenly ceased to 

 move, fell down, and expired without evincing any 

 symptoms of pain.' 



ELEPHANTS. 



THE extraordinary thickness of skin which distinguishes 

 certain animals has induced naturalists to group them 

 together and call them Pachydermata. This group is 

 again divided according to the still further peculiarities 

 which some of them possess ; and in the first sub- 

 division are elephants, distinguished by an enormous 

 prolongation of the upper lip and nose into what is 

 termed a trunk ' or proboscis. The largest animals in 

 the world are to be found among them ; and according 

 to some, they are the most sagacious. There is, how- 

 ever, a strong inclination in many to give the dog the 

 highest place next to man with regard to intellect. 



