The Elephant 41 



likewise shortens its existence. Profound physiological 

 changes are thus produced, the most noticeable of which 

 are barrenness, great capriciousness of appetite, enfeeble- 

 ment of the digestive functions, and a marked vice of nu- 

 trition by which an animal that recovers from injuries the 

 most severe in its wild state now finds every trifling hurt 

 a serious matter, and often dies from accidents that would 

 otherwise have been of little moment. In the same cate- 

 gory must also be ranked the decreased endurance of tame 

 elephants. The Asiatic species is much inferior to the 

 African in this respect, by nature, but both sensibly de- 

 teriorate in this way when domesticated. 



There is nothing to show that the African elephant is 

 worse tempered than the Asiatic. It has never been re- 

 claimed by the natives, and that fact no doubt has given 

 rise to the opinion. In the Carthaginian, Numidian, and 

 Roman provinces, this species was made use of very much 

 as the other is now in India, and most if not all the famous 

 homicidal elephants we know of, belonged to the latter 

 country. But it would appear that a "rogue," properly so 

 called, requires peculiar conditions under which to develop. 

 " Rogue elephants," says Drummond, " are rare ; indeed, it 

 seems to me that it is necessary for the full formation of. 

 that amiable animal's character that it should inhabit a 

 well-populated district where continual opportunities are 

 afforded for attacking defenceless people, of breaking into 

 their fields, and, in general, of losing its natural respect for 

 hitman beings ; and as such conditions seldom exist in 

 Africa, from the elephant chiefly inhabiting districts devoid 

 of population on account of their unhealthiness, the rogue, 



