454 APPENDIX. 



wheaten flour, baked without leaven, to a weight of about 21bs. each, and 

 given with a slight spreading of clarified butter. In the South and East, where 

 wheat is scarce, plain uncooked rice is given instead. The daily ration of a 

 full-sized animal of, say 8| feet high, is 24lbs. of flour, or 321bs. of rice. When 

 one of these sorts of food is substituted for the other, it should be done 

 gradually ; and when rice is first given a part of it should be boiled for some 

 weeks. The above rations are for an animal in hard work. In the Government 

 Commissariat Department, where great numbers of elephants are kept almost 

 in idleness for a great part of the year, lower rations are given. But the 

 treatment of these elephants is by no means a model for imitation. In a state 

 of nature the animal takes an immense deal of exercise. Here they get no 

 work to speak of between the close of one marching season (March) and the 

 beginning of the next (November). They pass quite out of condition during 

 this time ; and many are lost from complaints generated by these sudden alter- 

 nations of work and idleness. In the text I have urged the employment of 

 these elephants during this season in the organized destruction of wild beasts. 

 Of course the amount of the ration will vary somewhat with the size of the 

 animal, and elephants, like horses, have their idiosyncrasies in the matter of 

 feeding. A sharp look-out requires to be kept over the mahouts at feeding- 

 time, otherwise great part of the allowance will probably go to Moula Bux, 

 wife, small family, and the several fathers, brothers, and cousins, who usually 

 aim at getting "half a seer of flour" apiece out of their great milch cow 

 master's elephant. About half a pound of clarified butter, and the same 

 amount of salt should be allowed daily with the food ; and spice-balls should be 

 administered about once a week. Besides these rations an elephant devours an 

 enormous amount of fodder. The principal substances given him are the 

 branches of various trees of the fig tribe, banyan, peepul, and goolar. The 

 leaves of the peepul are eaten, but should be avoided in the hot season for 

 reasons before mentioned. Of the others the inner bark of the larger branches, 

 and the whole substance of smaller twigs alone are eaten. It is astonishing 

 to observe the adroitness with which the elephant peels off the delicate inner 

 bark in long strips, and rejects all the rest. This fastidiousness necessitates an 

 immense supply of branches every day ; and the elephant always goes out with 

 his keeper to bring in as much as he can carry at a time. The bamboo is also 

 eaten, but will not be accepted very long at a time. Other trees are also eaten 

 in the jungle, but as they are seldom accessible to tame elephants, they need not 

 be referred to. A long species of grass (Typha elephantina), which grows in 

 many tanks and rivers during the rainy season, forms excellent fodder for 

 elephants, who are very fond of it ; and when they have been much pulled 

 down by a season's hard work, they should, if possible, be sent to pick up 

 again where this fodder is plentiful. In the absence of the above descriptions 

 of fodder, the stalks of millet, called "Kurbee," or even dry grass, maybe 

 given, but it will not satisfy them long without a mixture of green food. 

 Sugar-cane is a great treat, and in moderate quantities is very good for them, 

 particularly if in poor condition. 



Elephants should be picketed on dry ground, standing in damp being a 



