254 HOOFED ANIMALS 



The nostrils and upper lip of the animal are drawn out 

 into a long, flexible proboscis, at the end of which are 

 sensitive processes that render the organ of more use to its 

 owner than is the prehensile tail to the spider monkey. 

 The loss of the monkey's tail would only rob the creature 

 of a little of its activity, but the Elephant would die if 

 deprived of its trunk. It cannot eat until the proboscis 

 places food in its mouth ; it cannot satisfy its thirst unless 

 the waterhose-like member takes up water and then blows 

 it into the stomach. In short, the trunk is to the Elephant 

 more than arms and hands are to a human being. An 

 armless man in extremity could eat and drink in the 

 fashion of most animals, but the Elephant would be de- 

 barred by the formation of its jaws. 



The teeth of the Elephant are no less remarkable. It 

 possesses no canines, and the incisors, limited to two in 

 the upper jaw, are often enormously developed until they 

 assume the form so well known as tusks; they are deeply 

 embedded in the massive skull, and as the tusk is worn 

 away at the tip, fresh tooth-matter is supplied at the base. 



The position and character of the limbs of the Elephant 

 are without parallel among living animals, especially in their 

 straightness and the absence of angulation at the joints. A 

 glance at the skeleton of the animal will show that the 

 construction of the legs is that best fitted to support an 

 enormous weight, which would prove too great a strain 

 upon angulated limbs. Yet, notwithstanding the pillar-like 

 strength of the legs, a certain amount of activity is retained. 

 Few persons recognise how active the Elephant really is 

 in spite of its bulk. Shakespeare believed it possessed no 

 joints in its legs, so that it could not lie down. But what 

 are the true facts ? The animal can lie down, or rise again, 

 as easily as a dog ; it can stand on its hind feet alone, or on 

 its fore feet alone ; on the feet of the right or the left side 

 alternately ; and it can even stand on its head. In kneeling, 

 the hind feet are stretched out behind, but the fore feet 

 extend frontwards. 



There are only two existing species of Elephant, the 

 Asiatic (Elephas indicus) and the African (Elephas afri- 

 canus) ; but in far distant periods when the world wa s 



