THE FLOCKS AND HERDS 



127 



probably long since passed away, will be likely, save so far 

 as it may be preserved through motives of scientific interest, 

 to join the great array of vanished species. 



It affords a pleasant contrast to turn from the consid- 

 eration of the camels to a study of the elephants. The 

 difference in the measure of attractiveness of the two forms 

 is very great, and depends upon facts of remarkable interest. 



Camels along the Sea at Twilight 



Unlike the camel — which, as we have seen, is the last survivor 

 of an ancient lineage, represented by but two species, and 

 these limited to a small part of the world — the elephant, at 

 the time when man appears to have taken shape, seems to 

 have existed on all the continental lands except Australia, 

 and to have been in a state of singular prosperity. As is 

 often the case with other vigorous genera of mammals, the 

 species were adapted to a very great variety of climates, and 

 were fitted to endure tropic heat as well as arctic cold. 

 The group of elephants is first known to us in the early 



