ELEPHANTS SWIMMING. 51 



sun shines for a few hours, they come out eagerly to warm their huge 

 bodies. They are then fond of standing on the sheet rock so common in 

 the Mysore country about hill-ranges. The young calves and staid mothers, 

 in small groups, half dozing as they bask, form tranquil family pictures at 

 such times. Elephants are partial to rocky places at all seasons. 



AVhilst marching from one tract of forest to another, elephants usually 

 travel in strict Indian file. They seldom stay more than one or two days at 

 the same halting-place, as the fodder becomes exhausted. They rest during 

 the middle hours of the night, as well as during the day. Some lie down, 

 and they usually dispose themselves in small distinct squads of animals 

 which seem to have an affection for each other. (Tame elephants frequently 

 display a particular liking for one or other of their fellov/s.) About three 

 o'clock they rise to feed or march, and by ten o'clock in the day they are 

 again collected, and rest till afternoon ; at eleven at night they again rest. 

 In showery cool weather elephants are frequently on the move all day long. 



Elephants generally drink after sunrise and before sunset. They seldom 

 bathe after the si^n is down, except in very warm weather. Whilst fording 

 water on cold nights, tame elephants curl up their trunks and tails to keep 

 them out of it ; and if taken at a late hour to be washed after their day's 

 work, frequently show their dislike to the unseasonable bath. 



Though a few calves are born at other seasons, the largest number make 

 their appearance about September, October, and November. In a herd of 

 fifty-five captured in June 1874, in Mysore, there was only one calf under 

 six months of age, whilst seven were from eight to nine months. Amongst 

 the females captured, eight calved between September and November. In 

 eighty-five elephants captured in Chittagong, in January 1876, the bulk of 

 the calves were from one to three months of age. I observed in Mysore 

 that the herds invariably left heavy jungle about October for more open and 

 dry country, on account of the wet and discomfort to the calving females 

 and their offspring. 



"When a calf is born the herd remains with the mother two days ; the 

 calf is then capable of marching. Even at this tender age calves are no 

 encumbrance to the herd's movements ; the youngest climb hills and cross 

 rivers assisted by their dams. In swimming, very young calves are sup- 

 ported by their mothers* trunks, and held in front of them. When they are a 

 few months old they scramble on to their mothers' shoulders, helping them- 

 selves by holding on with their legs, or they swim alone. Young calves 

 sent across rivers in charge of our tame elephants often did this, though 

 they could swim by themselves if necessary. 



Full-grown elephants swim perhaps better than any other land animals. 



