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CHAPTER III. 



BREEDING HABITS PERIOD OF GESTATION THE CALF SIZE OF 

 THE YOUNG ELEPHANT ITS GROWTH MATERNAL AND FILIAL 

 AFFECTION TOUCHING STORY CALF OF THE RHINOCEROS 

 INCAPABLE OF DOMESTICATION PET ELEPHANTS EMPLOY- 

 MENT OF THE ELEPHANT IN WAR. 



AS regards Southern Africa, at least, little seems 

 to be known, even to the natives themselves, 

 of the breeding habits of the elephant. This arises 

 partly from these animals pairing during the rainy 

 season, extending from February to the middle of 

 May, in which, while they are spread over an im- 

 mense extent of country, either wholly uninhabited 

 or only partially so, the hunters, owing to the 

 prevalence of the " horse-sickness," are, in a 

 great degree, prevented from going in pursuit of 

 them. 



It is conjectured that the elephant begins to pro- 

 pagate his species long before he has arrived at 

 maturity. Indeed, there can be little doubt as to 

 this being the case, for females in India have been 

 known to grow very considerably after they have 

 become pregnant. 



The period of gestation with the female elephant, 

 as has been ascertained by the observation of such 



