T'lE AFRICAN AND THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. 241 



should continue in the same ratio as of late years, 

 the period of their final annihilation may not be 

 very far distant. 



Two varieties of elephant are said to be peculiar 

 to Southern Africa; and some even seem to con- 

 sider them as distinct species. Thus Mr. Oswell, 

 who has had great experience in these matters, and 

 who has hunted both on the Limpopo and the 

 Zouga rivers, tells me " that the elephant of the 

 former locality is of large proportions, with small 

 tusks, whilst that of the latter is a comparatively 

 small animal, but has very heavy tusks." My own 

 imperfect knowledge of and acquaintance with this 

 animal, tends to corroborate the theory of the most 

 ivory being found in small, but of course full grown, 

 elephants. 



But the African and the Indian elephant not only 

 differ widely in their habits, but are distinguished by 

 peculiarities of form. 



One of the leading characteristics of the African 

 species is its ears, which arc not only of a some- 

 what different shape from the Indian, but of an 

 immensely superior size, covering the whole shoulder, 

 descending to the legs, and overlapping the neck, 

 " to the utter exclusion of the Mahout," as Captain 

 Harris truly observes. Of the great size of these 

 appendages, some idea may be formed from the fact 

 that, when a full-grown bull-elephant advances in 

 full charge with his ears cocked, his head measures 

 about fourteen feet from the tip of one car to that 

 of the other, in a direct line across the forehead. 

 Then, again, the head of the Indian species is 



R 



