lt>0 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Performances of an elephant at Exeter 'Change. 



keeper having demanded how many persons 

 were come to see her? she replied by two strong 

 exhalations from her trunk, which she held 

 nearly perpendicular to the ground; and when 

 asked how many candles were in the room? (it 

 being night) she repeated those exhalations six 

 times. I now thought she had mistaken the 

 number; but on examination, I perceived that 

 each of two lanterns contained three lights. She 

 next bolted and unbolted a pair of folding doors, 

 and the hatch of her own apartment, with the 

 utmost readiness and dexterity; and knelt clown 

 at the word of command, to show how she might 

 be loaded. 



These performances, however, were far sur- 

 passed by another, which seemed to require even 

 thought and human ingenuity. The keeper hav- 

 ing laid a shilling on the floor, near the partition, 

 and beyond the reach of her trunk, desired her to 

 take it up and give it to me: when to my 

 astonishment, having curved her trunk and appa- 

 rently measured the distance, she blew strongly 

 and repeatedly in such a curious direction that 

 every blast drove the shilling from the wall to- 

 wards her, till at length it came within reach. 

 She then put it into my hand, and on my return- 

 ing it she deposited it in the breeches pocket of 

 her keeper. 



After these demonstrations of sagacity and 

 obedience, a pail of water was brought into the 

 room, which she drew up in her trunk at three 



