HUNTING fi? SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



far larger in proportion than those of the African elephant, 

 as can be seen by reference to figures in Rowland Ward's 

 " Records of Big Game." The largest elephant I ever 

 killed out here measured over 9 feet 9 inches at the 

 shoulder as nearly as I could make it, by means of a 

 long stick and a 2-foot rule, and the foot was 59 inches 

 in circumference when fresh. A large tusker bull which I 

 bagged in Central Africa in 1902 measured 10 feet I inch 

 at the shoulder, taken by steel tape between uprights at 

 shoulder and sole of the foot, yet the foot only measured 

 53 inches in circumference ! 



Herds of more than seven members are not common, 

 but solitary elephants, not -necessarily " rogues," may be 

 met with in all jungle country frequented by elephants, 

 and a solitary is rather fond of taking up its residence 

 in the neighbourhood of a village, helping itself con- 

 tentedly to the villagers' produce. Elephants have in 

 general acquired a contempt for the presence of the 

 ordinary villager, and will walk through a fence nowadays 

 as soon as look at it and help themselves to growing 

 crops in spite of the watchers' presence, shouts, or even 

 firing of guns. A good deal of this indifference is, I 

 think, due to the fact that there are many deaf elephants 

 to be found all over the country, more than people 

 imagine, and such animals are quite indifferent to any 

 amount of noise. Let an elephant, however, once become 

 aware that he is being hunted and he becomes as wary 

 and alert as possible, for he has certainly learnt what fear 

 is during the last fifty years! 



Finally, before commencing with personal experiences, 

 let me remark that an elephant out here is really very 

 easily approached in forest, as his sense of hearing is not 

 over-acute and his eyesight decidedly poor, but his sense 



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