92 TEXT-BOOK OF ZOOLOGY 



hensile power of the trunk, in fact, compensates for the awkwardness 

 which characterizes all the other movements of the animal. 



5. The elephant seizes with its trunk the trees and branches which 

 it wishes to break off only at one point. Being elastic, this would cause 

 them to bend, though hardly to break. There must be some resistance 

 against which they may be broken. This is supplied by the two powerful 

 tusks which project far out from the animal's upper jaw. These tusks 

 are without roots, and grow from permanent pulps, so that each of them 

 may reach a weight of as much as 100 pounds. The trunk and the tusk, 

 as well as the feet, are also used as weapons of defence against the 

 elephant's chief enemies, the tiger and man. 



6. From man it retreats with shyness. By means of its keen scent 

 (proboscis) it can discover the presence of its most dangerous enemy 

 even at a distance. Every sportsman speaks of its sharp hearing. The 

 large, fan-shaped ear-flaps, when erected, act as gigantic ear-trumpets, 

 catching even the slightest noise. The eyes are small, indicating weak 

 sight. The sense of touch at the end of the proboscis is of uncommon 

 fineness. 



I). Importance of the Elephant in the Economy of Nature and to Man. 



In its native forests it of course does no damage. On the other 

 hand, a herd of elephants breaking into a plantation lays waste every- 

 thing before it. In India the animals are hunted mostly for the purpose 

 of taming them and training them to carry heavy loads; they are in 

 that country but rarely killed for the sake of their tusks, which furnish 

 valuable ivory. 



It is quite otherwise with its relative, the African Elephant (E. 

 africanus), which, for the sake of the tusks alone, is shot down un- 

 sparingly, and will probably be soon exterminated. Its ears are even 

 larger than those of the Indian species. Large quantities of ivory 

 are also obtained from Siberia. This is derived from the extinct 

 mammoth, which has been found in a good state of preservation 

 even the flesh had not putrefied in the frozen soil of the northern part 

 of that country. The tusks of this primeval giant are curved, and attain 

 to a length of about 13 feet, and a weight of about 160 pounds. The 

 skin of this creature was covered with a thick fur. (Why ?) 



ORDER IX.: EVEN-TOED UNGULATES (ARTIODACTYLA). 



ONLY one pair of toes the third and fourth toe touch the ground in 

 walking (exception, the hippopotamus, which walks on two pairs). The 



