106 COMPARISONS OF STRUCTURE IN ANMALS. 



the proboscis by suction from passing through 

 the back of the nostrils into the throat, which 

 would, indeed, take place, were it not for a 

 movable cartilage acting as a valve, placed 

 just anterior to the external nasal aperture of 

 the skull, the closure of which effectually 

 obstructs the further passage of the fluid. The 

 proboscis of the elephant is not a rude and 

 powerful grasper only, but is adapted for very 

 delicate manipulation. The terminal orifices of 

 the canals are encircled by a projecting margin, 

 produced anteriorly into a muscular finger, of 

 high sensibility. Wlien v;e offer a biscuit or 

 piece of bread to an elephant, the animal seizes 

 it with this finger; the division between the 

 orifices of the canals, and also their elevated 

 margin, acting as the fulcrum against which it 

 presses. With this finger, as we have often 

 witnessed, can the elephant pick up from a 

 smooth board floor a small silver coin, and 

 restore it to the hand held out to receive it. 

 We have said that there is meaning and silent 

 eloquence in the actions of the human hand. 

 With his proboscis the elephant begs, and 

 threatens. Who that has visited the gardens of 

 the Zoological Society has not been soHcited for 

 some delicacy by the elephailt, or has misun- 



