PECULIARITIES OP THE TWO SPECIES. 24o 



effect than somewhat to bewilder him, and cause 

 him momentarily to stay his headlong course. And 

 that the shots in question were well directed, was 

 shown after the death of the animal, " when the 

 three balls were found lodged so close together as 



O O 



only to occupy a space of about three inches." 



Elsewhere, Sir Samuel says, " It was only in a 

 single instance that I succeeded in slaying an Afri- 

 can elephant with a front shot, although I have 

 steadily tried the experiment on several occasions." 



Then, again, the back of the Indian elephant is 

 exceedingly convex, whilst that of the African is 

 exactly the reverse, and the concavity behind the 

 shoulder is succeeded by a peculiarity in the sudden 

 rise of the spine above the hips. 



The African elephant is, besides, superior in 

 height, by a foot or more, to the average of the 

 Indian ; and both sexes are armed with formidable 

 tusks, with which weapons females of the last- 

 named species are not always, I believe, provided ; 

 or, if so, they are of comparatively diminutive 

 size. 



The teeth of the African elephant, moreover, 

 differ materially from those of the Indian by con- 

 taining a lesser number of Iamino3 or plates, the 

 surfaces of which, instead of exhibiting straight and 

 parallel lines like those of the Indian, are shaped 

 in slight curves, which increase the power of 

 grinding. 



The two species differ, not only in certain pecu- 

 liarities of form, but in their habits. The Indian 

 elephant, for example, dislikes the sun, and in- 



ii 2 



