THE INDIAN ELEPHANT 



individuals as from their habits have become 

 dangerous to human life, or habitually destructive 

 to property, the Indian elephant is still numerous 

 in most of the large hill and forest tracts of suitable 

 character, from as far north as the foot of the 

 Himalayas, to the extreme south of the peninsula. 



Elephants are gregarious, and are found in 

 assemblies of exceedingly variable proportions ; 

 the herds themselves often subdividing as the 

 exigencies of fodder may render necessary into 

 small groups, each consisting of only a few in- 

 dividuals. A large herd consists of from fifty to 

 one hundred, and a small one of some fifteen or 

 twenty animals. It is, however, very common to 

 find a single male elephant, or even a pair of 

 males, wandering alone at some distance from 

 the nearest herd. When these solitary animals 

 are mucknahs (or males without tusks) it is probable 

 that they may have been compelled to lead single 

 lives on account of the bullying of the tuskers, of 

 whom they stand in great awe ; but frequently, even 

 the lord of the herd a magnificent creature of 

 great stature, and possessed of very formidable 

 tusks is found leading temporarily, and entirely 

 from choice, a life apart from his harem. He no 

 doubt knows where the ladies are to be found, 

 and visits them at intervals ; but he appears to 

 prefer alternate solitude and company, to the un- 

 interrupted society of the herd. It may well be 

 that he dislikes continual noise, and is worried 

 by the constant trumpeting and squeaking of the 

 females and young ones. Often too a young male 



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