50 MOVEMENTS OF HERDS. 



same time to intimidate, as when the cause of some alarm has not been 

 clearly ascertained, and the animals wish to deter an intruder. It is pro- 

 duced by rapping the end of the trunk smartly on the ground, a current of 

 air, hitherto retained, being sharply emitted through the trunk, as from a 

 valve, at the moment of impact. The sound made resembles that of a large 

 sheet of tin rapidly doubled. It has been erroneously ascribed by some 

 writers to the animals beating their sides with tlieir trunks. 



The ranges of wild elephants are very extensive, and are traversed with 

 considerable regularity. In the dry months — that is, from January to April, 

 when no rain falls — the herds seek the neighbourhood of considerable streams 

 a,nd shady forests. About June, after the first showers, they emerge to roam 

 and feed on the young grass. By July or August this grass in hill tracts 

 becomes long and coarse, and probably bitter, as tame elephants do not 

 relish it. The elephants then descend now and again to the lower jungles, 

 where the grass is not so far advanced. They here visit salt-licks and eat 

 the earth — strongly impregnated with natron or soda — in common with 

 most wild animals : also a fruit which grows at certain seasons on a 

 dwarfed tree in the low country. I have been unable to ascertain its 

 botanical name with certainty. It is said by natives to produce intoxication 

 in elephants, under tlie influence of which they break surrounding trees, 

 &c. I have never seen any signs of this myself, but the notion is widely 

 spread amongst jungle-people. 



Another reason for their leaving the hills during continued rain is the 

 annoyance caused by the flies and mosquitoes which then become very 

 troublesome. The elephant-fly is always less numerous in the low-country 

 jungles. This truly formidable pest appears in the rains ; it lives mostly 

 in long grass, and attacks bison and sambur as well as elephants. When 

 the grass becomes very wet, these flies collect on any passing animals, and 

 so great is the irritation they cause, that elephants and bison are always 

 found about the outskirts of the jungle at this time. The elephant-fly is 

 dark grey in colour, about the size of a small bee, and lias a most formidable 

 proboscis ; it is very soft, and the slightest blow kills it. 



Whilst in the low-country jungles a few elephants, chiefly males, occa- 

 sionally stray into cultivation ; the mothers with calves keep aloof from the 

 vicinity of man's dwellings. About December, when the jungles become 

 dry, and fodder is scarce, all the herds leave the low country, and are sel- 

 dom seen out of the hills or heavy forests until the next rains. 



Wliilst in open country the herds move about a good deal during tlie 

 day in cloudy, showery weather. On very stormy and inclement days they 

 keep to bamboo cover wliich is close and warm. During breaks, wlien the 



