294 THE ELEPHANT. 



It is the generally received belief, I apprehend, 

 that the elephant, after it has slaked its thirst, is 

 in the habit of spouting large quantities of water 

 from its trunk over its body for the purpose of 

 cooling it. If my eyes have not deceived me, I 

 myself, indeed, have seen the animal perform the 

 operation. My friend Green, nevertheless, would 

 seem to doubt such being the case ; he says : 



"It is natural enough to believe that the African 

 elephant should repair to the pool for the purpose 

 of taking a bath, because, when in a domesticated 

 state, his Indian congener is in the habit of doing 

 so. Still, although I have had so many oppor- 

 tunities of observing these animals at water, during, 

 I may say, eleven years wanderings in the wilder- 

 ness, I never witnessed these ablutions. I 

 have frequently seen them repair to large waters 

 after drinking at smaller holes, and supposed it 

 was for the purpose in question, but noticed that 

 they only drank, and made no attempt to throw 

 water over their bodies. I am well aware they will 

 coat themselves over with mire, as a muddy jacket 

 protects them from the burning rays of a tropical 

 sun, and this expedient is more particularly ob- 

 servable in the ' Tsetse ' country, where it serves, 

 no doubt, to protect them, in degree at least, from 

 the bite of that poisonous insect." 



In connection with the subject in question, I may 

 be permitted to add some remarks of Kolbein, 

 which, however quaint, may nevertheless contain 

 some truth. 



" When elephants drink," he writes, " they first 



