THE PYGMY ELEPHANT FROM WEST AFRICA 137 



The Pygmy Elephant (Elephas pumilio). — Of this recently 

 discovered and recently described species (1905) from the 

 French Congo territory, equatorial West Africa, the type 

 specimen is living in the New York Zoological Park. As its 

 name implies, it is a very small species, probably never ex- 

 ceeding 7 feet in height, even if that height is ever attained. 

 It is characterized by small, round ears, five toes on each fore 

 foot and four on the hind foot, which is one more than the 

 numbers worn by the large African species. 



At the time of his arrival (1905) "Congo" stood 43 inches 

 in shoulder height, and his age was estimated at seven years. 

 His weight at that time was 601 pounds, and his tusks were 

 4 inches long. On June 1, 1911, his height was 60 inches, his 

 tusks were 23 inches long outside the lip and he appeared to 

 be fully adult. 



Regarding the life history and distribution of this very 

 odd species much remains to be ascertained. 



The Indian Elephant (Elephas indicus) still exists in a 

 wild state in several widely separated localities of India, 

 Burma, Siam and the Malay Peninsula. But for rigid pro- 

 tection, the species very probably would have been extermi- 

 nated ere this. 



This species is too well known to require description. Its 

 shoulder height for adult males may safely be put down at 9 

 feet 6 inches, even though occasionally a giant may seem to 

 exceed that figure. 



