THE INDIAN ELEPHANT 11 



six and a half feet. It climbs up or down hills with great facility, 

 negotiating slopes which would puzzle a Horse, as, when ascending, 

 it goes down on its wrists, and when descending, on its knees, the 

 situation of its joints making these postures convenient. It is also a 

 strong swimmer, and when in the water has the great advantage of 

 being able to breathe through its trunk held above the surface. With 

 the trunk is collected the food, which consists of grass, and the 

 leaves, twigs, and fruit of various trees ; and water is drawn up by 

 it and squirted into the mouth or over the body when bathing. 



The Indian Elephant frequents forest country, and is timid and 

 social ; it is almost always in herds, and stray females and young 

 animals can gain entrance to these ; adult males, no doubt, would 

 have to face the opposition of the leading "tusker," or adult male, in 

 the herd, and such are often found solitary, and sometimes become 

 the well-known " rogues." These individuals have thrown off the 

 natural timidity which is so strong a feature in Elephants, and attack 

 man ferociously ; but a " rogue " is not necessarily permanently soli- 

 tary, since some herd-bulls develop these vicious propensities. The 

 actual leader of a herd is, curiously enough, always a female, and the 

 animals in their travels display a remarkable aptitude for picking out 

 the safest and most convenient routes across a country. 



The best-known note of the Elephant is the shrill " trumpeting " 

 sound, but it also roars when in fear or pain. It attacks enemies 

 with its tusks and feet, not with the trunk, and female animals often 

 bite each other's tails off, not having tusks to gore with ; mucknas 

 have to put up with much ill-usage from tuskers. 



Except when a known rogue, the Elephant is protected in India 

 on account of its utility when domesticated ; its capture is usually 

 effected by driving a herd into a stockade or " kheddah," where the 

 captured animals are roped, and afterwards removed, by the aid of 

 tame Elephants. Elephants seldom breed in menageries in India or 

 in Europe and elsewhere, but frequently do so in Burma and Siam. 

 Captive-bred animals are no great acquisition, as they are long in 

 growing to a useful size, and are apt to be wanting in due respect 

 for man a serious matter in the case of such a gigantic animal. 



In the ordinary way, the docility of the Elephant is its most 

 remarkable quality, but, as is well known, the adult male is subject 



