114 HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT. 



from the great number of its muscles, is a very powerful 

 instrument, and by means of it the animal can tear down a 

 stong branch of at ree, lift a considerable weight or strike 

 a very severe blow. Upon examining the head of an ele 

 phant either in front or in profile, it will be seen that the 

 insertion of the trunk is peculiarly strong. The bones of 

 the lower part of the face are massy, and strongly arched ; 

 the neck is nearly of the same thickness as the head, and 

 the muscles by which it is connected to the body are very 

 powerful. The elephant does not butt with this powerful 

 part of the head, as is done by various ruminating ani- 

 mals, but it can push along a very heavy weight, or 

 break through a strong paling, by the dead pressure of its 

 snout. Where tame elephants are used, this property is 

 often turned to considerable account ; and those elephants 

 which are in the service of the Indian merchants, may 

 often be seen doing the work of a dozen porters in pushing 

 about bales and boxes, and rolling heavy casks. In the 

 wild state the trunk answers many important services. 

 With it he gathers his food and puts it into his mouth, 

 draws up water to quench his thirst, or to sprinkle his 

 body, and collects dust, which he throws over his skin to 

 disperse the mosquitoes and flies that annoy him. On 

 all occasions he is most careful of his trunk, and unless 

 when tied and picketed, he seldom uses it as a means of 

 offence. The males use their tusks for this purpose, and 

 the females endeavor, by falling upon the tiger, to crush 

 him by their weight. The fact is that though elephants 

 are exceedingly peaceable animals in their native haunts, 

 unless when they are annoyed, or in the rutting season of 

 the males, at which time they are in a state of excitement 

 bordering upon fury, and are formidable to tigers, and all 

 other beasts of prey, and even to the rhinoceros himself, 

 which, though perhaps a stronger , animal in proportion to 

 his size than the elephant, is not so susceptible of violent 

 passions or so active in his motions. 



