FAMILY ELEPHANTID.E ; ELEPHANT, MAMMOTH. 32 1 



Elephant, the back of which has been known to stand more than 

 12 feet from the ground. In point of bulk, the Rhinoceros and 

 Hippopotamus are the only existing terrestrial animals, that can 

 approach the Elephant ; though some other animals now extinct 

 must have considerably surpassed him. The enormous weight 

 of the body could only be sustained by legs of the most solid con- 

 struction ; and accordingly we find that these have the aspect of 

 straight columns, the joints being so formed, that each bone rests 

 vertically upon the one beneath it. The Elephant derives much 

 dignity from its colossal bulk and vast powers ; but there is no 

 grace in its contour, and its movements are heavy and ungainly. 

 From the earliest times, this noble beast has been brought under 

 subjection to the human race ; to whose use it is particularly 

 adapted, not only by its vast strength, but also by the extraor- 

 dinary combination of docility and intelligence which it presents. 

 Like the Dog and Horse, it seems peculiarly susceptible of the 

 influence of Man, and disposed to attach itself to him. As an 

 instance of its enormous power, it may be mentioned that an 

 Elephant, applying its forehead to the muzzle of a piece of can- 

 non, will urge it through a bog, from which hundreds of cattle 

 and men could not drag it ; or, winding his trunk round the 

 gun, it will lift the piece, whilst the cattle and men pull it for- 

 wards. The African species is not at present tamed by Man, 

 being pursued solely for its tusks ; but it was this which was 

 for the most part employed by the ancient Romans. 



288. A third species of Elephant, commonly known as the 

 Mammoth^ formerly existed in Northern Asia in great abun- 

 dance ; as is proved by the vast number of tusks and bones 

 which are found buried in the frozen soil of Siberia. The tusks 

 form a regular article of commerce, and are employed throughout 

 Russia as the ordinary ivory of the turner. A complete carcase 

 of the animal was found at the beginning of this century, frozen 

 up in the ice at the mouth of the river Lena in Siberia ; the flesh 

 being in such good preservation, that bears and dogs fed off it. 

 The skin was covered with two kinds of hair, one long, scat- 

 tered, and bristly, the other short and closely set ; so that this 

 animal was evidently adapted for climates much colder than 



