112 HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT. 



der, and nearly naked for the greater part of its length ; but 

 it has a thick brush at the point, which, in the healthy 

 animal, reaches nearly to the ground. 



In size, elephants differ considerably ; but when full 

 grown they are rarely less than seven feet in height at the 

 shoulders, or more than twelve. When they are below 

 seven feet they are not considered fit for hard service, 

 and none are purchased for the use of the British army 

 in India, which do not stand this measure. The females, 

 which are the most docile, are very seldom above eight 

 feet ; but the males are often considerably more. The fol- 

 lowing are the dimensions of a male measured in India, 

 which was considered to have attained its utmost growth : 

 from the line of the forehead to the insertion of the tail, 

 fifteen feet eleven inches ; perpendicular height at the 

 shoulder, ten feet and a half ; measure across the shoulders 

 from the ground on the one side to the same on the other, 

 twenty-two feet two inches and a half; and height of the 

 crown of the head from the ground, set up as it is when 

 the animal marches in state, twelve feet two inches. As 

 the proportions of these measures to each other may be 

 considered as pretty constant in adult elephants of all 

 sizes, they will serve to give a general idea of the form 

 of the animal. 



The most singular organ in the elephant, and the one 

 which most distinguishes it from all other living animals, is 

 the proboscis or trunk, which, though one would not be apt 

 to believe so from seeing it in a state of repose, is proba- 

 bly, the human hand only excepted, the most curious me- 

 chanical instrument in the whole animal kingdom. This 

 proboscis is an extension of the snout of the animal, of a 

 tapering or subconical form, and sometimes as much as 

 eight feet in length. The two perforations in it, which 

 answer the purpose of nostrils, can draw in water, or 

 spout it to a considerable distance ; and as the elephant 

 cannot drink directly with the mouth, unless when immer- 



