18 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



In case of danger the dog will defend his master, guided by his 

 own unaided intelligence ; he at once detects and attacks the 

 enemy. In wild sports lie shares the delight of hunting equally 

 with his master, and the two are inseparable allies. The day is 

 over, and he lies down and sleeps before the fire at his master's 

 feet, and dreams of the dangers and exploits ; he is a member of 

 his master's household. 



The elephant is, in my opinion, overrated. He can be educated 

 to perform certain acts, but he would never volunteer his services. 

 There is no elephant that I ever saw who would spontaneously 

 interfere to save his master from drowning or from attack. An 

 enemy might assassinate you at the feet of your favourite elephant, 

 but he would never attempt to interfere in your defence ; he 

 would probably run away, or remain impassive, unless guided and 

 instructed by his mahout. This is incontestable ; the elephant 

 will do nothing useful unless he is specially ordered to perform 

 a certain work or movement. 



While condemning this apathetic character, we must admit 

 that in the elephant the power of learning is extraordinary, and 

 that it can be educated to perform wonders ; but such performances 

 are only wonderful as proving the necessary force of direction and 

 guidance by a superior power, to which the animal is amenable. 



I have had very many years' experience with elephants, both 

 Asiatic and African, and in my opinion they are naturally timid. 

 Although in a wild state the males are more or less dangerous, 

 especially in Africa, the herd of elephants will generally retreat 

 should they even wind an unseen enemy. This timidity is increased 

 by domestication, and it is difficult to obtain an elephant suffi- 

 ciently staunch to withstand the attack of any wild animal. They 

 will generally turn tail, and not only retreat gracefully, but will 

 run in a disgraceful panic, to the great danger of their riders 

 should the locality be forest. 



The difference in species is distinct between the Asiatic and the 

 African. It is at all times difficult to give the measurement of a 

 dead animal, especially when so enormous, as the pressure of 

 weight when alive woidd reduce the height afforded by measure- 

 ment when the body is horizontal. 



The well-known African elephant Jumbo that was sold to 

 America by the Zoological Society of London, was brought up in 

 confinement since its early existence, when it was about 4 feet 

 G inches high. That elephant was carefully weighed and measured 

 before it left England, with the result, of height at shoulder, 1 1 

 feet; weight, six tons and a half. The girth of the fore-foot when 



