258 HOOFED ANIMALS 



bring the upper branches within reach, and frequently tusks 

 are broken in the operation. The tusks are also used to grub 

 up succulent roots. 



Elephants roam about in herds of from twenty to fifty, 

 though hunters report seeing as many as four hundred at 

 a time. It is certain that nothing like such numbers could 

 now be met with in Asia, and in Africa it would be unlikely, 

 except possibly in the Kilimanjaro region, for incessant 

 ivory-hunting has practically exterminated the Elephant in 

 wide regions where it formerly abounded. 



The eye of the Elephant is exceedingly small for an 

 animal of its size ; especially is this the case in the Asiatic 

 species. Sight and hearing are both generally defective. 

 The same cannot be said of the power of scent, and the 

 hunter experiences great difficulty in approaching a herd 

 without causing the animals to take alarm. In disposition 

 the huge creature is naturally timid, and will take to 

 flight rather than come to the attack. Often solitary male 

 Elephants are met ; usually they have been expelled from a 

 herd, not adopting a lonely life from choice. In any case 

 they are almost invariably fierce and quarrelsome, and the 

 particular region they favour is best avoided by human 

 beings who have no desire to make a strenuous fight for 

 life. A 'rogue,' as a solitary bull is termed, will often do 

 immense damage to the crops in a settled district. In 

 fighting, the Elephant endeavours to trample on its victim 

 with its feet or knees, while tuskers will pin down the 

 object of their rage with their tusks. 



Through no fault of its own, the African Elephant was 

 rarely tamed and domesticated, except by the Cartha- 

 ginians in their wars with Rome. In the second Punic 

 War (B.C. 218-216) Hannibal traversed Spain and Gaul 

 with nearly forty Elephants trained to warfare, finally cross- 

 ing the Alps and inflicting defeat upon the Romans at 

 Ticinus. The Romans used the Elephant chiefly for the 

 purposes of sport in the arena, and it is told of Pompey 

 that at one great festival he had no less than five hundred 

 lions and eighteen Elephants engaged in the ring at one 

 time. In those days the Elephant was found in North 

 Africa ; but the demand for ivory and the necessities of the 



