128 DOMESTICATED ANIMALS 



part of Tertiary time. From its first appearance on our stage 

 it seems to have been successful in a high measure, and this 

 probably by reason of its possession of the remarkable inven- 

 tion of the trunk — a prolonged and marvellously flexible nose 

 which serves in the manner of an arm and hand for oratherine 

 food. 



When we first find traces of mankind in the records of the 

 rocks, in what appears to be an age just anterior to the Glacial 

 epoch, the elephant had passed the experimental stages of its 

 development and was firmly established as the king of beasts. 

 In his adult form he had nothing to fear from any of the lower 

 animals, and by the organization of herds it is probable that 

 even the young were tolerably safe from assault. Until the 

 early races of men had attained a considerable skill in the use 

 of weapons, the great beasts were probably safe from human 

 attack. We may well believe that primitive savages shunned 

 them as unconquerable. As early, perhaps, as the closing 

 stages of the Glacial epoch in Europe, we find evidences 

 which pretty clearly show that the folk of that land, probably 

 beloneina: to some race other than our own, had attained a 

 state of the warlike arts in which they could venture to hunt 

 this creature. 



The species of elephant which was hunted by the early 

 men of Europe, and perhaps also by those in Asia and Amer- 

 ica as well, was a greater and, at least in appearance, a more 

 formidable monster than the living species of Asia or Africa. 

 He was on the average taller and probably bulkier than any 

 of his living kindred. The tusks were large and curved in a 

 curious scimitar form. Adding to the might of its aspect was 

 a vast covering of hair, which on the neck appears to have 

 had the form of a mane. This covering must have greatly 



