104 TRUNK OF THE ELEPHANT. 



At its upper extremity there exists a cartilaginous and elastic 

 valve, which, except when raised by the voluntary contraction 

 of its muscles, intercepts the communication between its passages 

 and the nasal cavity ; and at its free extremity is found an 

 appendage, shaped like a finger, and equally movable. This 

 long trunk serves the animal to seize whatever it wishes to 

 carry to its mouth, to take up the grass and the leaves with 

 which it supports itself, and to suck up the water, which it 

 then ejects into its throat : without it, the general confor- 

 mation of its body would render its continued existence im- 

 possible ; for in order that an animal may conveniently obtain 

 its nourishment from the ground, it is requisite, if it is not 

 provided with special organs of prehension, that the length of its 

 neck should be proportional to that of its legs ; so that, by its 

 aid, it may be able, without bending them, to touch the ground 

 with its lips. If it is high on its feet, it must, therefore, have a 

 long neck ; and this, in its turn, would be incompatible with a 

 very large, heavy head, the weight of which would become still 

 more difficult to support, if it were placed at the end of a still 

 longer neck. Hence we observe, that amongst all the animals 

 whose legs are long, and whose mouth serves for the prehension 

 of their food (the Giraffe, for example), the neck is long, and the 

 head small ; whilst among those whose head is strong and heavy, 

 or destined to execute very energetic movements, the neck is 

 more or less short. Now, the Elephant is a very large animal, 

 whose head is very far remo v ed from the ground, and of a size in 

 proportion with the enormous defences with which the upper jaw 

 is armed ; its weight is consequently very considerable, and the 

 neck which supports it very short. If it were deprived of its 

 trunk, it would, therefore, be necessary to reconstruct the whole 

 remainder of its organisation upon a different plan. 



85. The Elephants, of which there are only two species at 

 present existing, the one belonging to Africa, and the other a 

 native of India, are the only Mammalia that are provided with 

 such an organ of prehension ; but there exists something analogous 

 to it amongst certain animals of the same class, which are destined 

 to seek their nourishment from the ground. Thus the Tapirs, 



