ELEPHANTS. 



35 



(2) The African Elephant (Elephas africanus) is of a somewhat 

 larger size than the Indian, and has enormous ears, a more or less 

 hollow back, only 3 nails on each of its hind feet, and its trunk 

 ends in two equal-sized lips. The female has well-developed tusks, 



Fig. 13. 



A B 



Tips of Trunks of (A) Indian and (B) African Elephants. 



though not so large as those of the male. This species inhabited 

 the whole of Africa south of the Sahara, but is now driven back 

 towards the centre of the continent ; its fossil remains have also 

 been found in North Africa and Southern Europe. It is more 

 courageous and more ill-tempered than its Indian ally, and therefore 

 more difficult to tame. The ancient Carthaginians and Romans 

 understood how to train it, but none of the present African 

 natives have attempted its domestication. Owing to the value of 

 its ivory it is continually hunted, and it is therefore much to 

 be feared that the species will ere long become extinct. 



Owing to the great difficulty of preserving the thick skin of so 

 large an animal under the tropical sun of Africa, only a very 

 young animal can be shown, at present, in the Saloon. But 

 skeletons and skulls of full-grown individuals are exhibited in the 



Osteological Saloon. 



Suborder HYRACOIDEA. 



Allied both to the Elephants and Rhinoceros are certain small [Case 35.] 

 animals looking like short-eared Rabbits, and known as Coneys 

 (Hyrax, or, as they are now sometimes called, Procavia) (Case 35), 

 of which about 14 species are distributed over Africa, and extend 

 northwards into Arabia and Palestine. They are distinguished from 

 their ponderous allies by their small size, peculiar dentition, and 

 active habits. Their feet are provided with four anterior and three 

 posterior rounded hoofs, quite unlike the claws of Rodents, and 



D2 



