CHAP, in THE ELEPHANT 45 



approaching the angular would be considered a blemish. An 

 Indian elephant to be perfect should be 9 feet 6 inches in perpen- 

 dicular height at the shoulder. The head should be majestic in 

 general character, as large as possible, especially broad across the 

 forehead, and well rounded. The boss or prominence above the 

 trunk should be solid and decided, mottled with flesh-coloured 

 spots; these ought to continue upon the cheeks, and for about 

 three feet down the trunk. This should be immensely massive ; 

 and when the elephant stands at ease, the trunk ought to touch 

 the ground when the tip is slightly curled. The skin of the face 

 should be soft to the touch, and there must be no indentations or 

 bony hollows, which are generally the sign of age. The ears 

 should be large, the edges free from inequalities or rents, and 

 above all they ought to be smooth, as though they had been care- 

 fully ironed. When an elephant is old, the top of the ear curls, 

 and this symptom increases with advancing years. The eyes 

 should be large and clear, the favourite colour a bright hazel. The 

 tusks ought to be as thick as possible, free from cracks, gracefully 

 curved, very slightly to the right and left, and projecting not less 

 than three feet from the lips. The body should be well rounded, 

 without a sign of any rib. The shoulders must be massive with 

 projecting muscular development ; the back very slightly arched, 

 and not sloping too suddenly towards the tail, which should be 

 set up tolerably high. This ought to be thick and long, the end 

 well furnished with a double fringe of very long thick hairs or 

 whalebone-looking bristles. The legs should be short in propor- 

 tion to the height of the animal, but immensely thick, and the 

 upper portion above the knee ought to exhibit enormous muscle. 

 The knees should be well rounded, and the feet be exactly equal 

 to half the perpendicular height of the elephant when measured in 

 their circumference, the weight pressing upon them whilst standing. 



The skin generally ought to be soft and pliable, by no means 

 tight or strained, but lying easily upon the limbs and body. 



An elephant which possesses this ^physical development should 

 be equal in the various points of character that are necessary to a 

 highly-trained animal. 



When ordered to kneel, it should obey instantly, and remain 

 patiently upon the ground until permitted to rise from this uneasy 

 posture. In reality the elephant does not actually kneel upon its 

 fore knees, but only upon those of the hinder legs, while it pushes 

 its fore legs forward and rests its tusks upon the ground. This 

 is a most unnatural position, and is exceedingly irksome. Some 

 elephants are very impatient, and they will rise suddenly without 



