290 After Big Game in Central Africa 



animal's stomach has already been mentioned in these 

 pages ; it is a noise which exactly resembles the roar of 

 a boiler which is getting up steam. How it is produced 

 I do not know, but it is probably made with the trunk. 



Habits of elephants change according to the degree of 

 security which the country in which they are offers them. 

 In quiet regions, where hunters do not disturb them (and 

 they instinctively come to know the quiet places), they rest 

 during the liottest hours of the day in thickets impenetrable 

 to the sun, generally resting against a tree or simply stand- 

 ing on their legs with their tusks on a branch. Thus, 

 with bent head, you can see them sleeping. Every now 

 and then they move their large ears to fan themselves or to 

 listen. Their trunks hang down, or else rest on one of the tusks, 

 with the openings turned in the direction of the wind ; their 

 eyes blink or are shut. The whole herd is there in various 

 positions, motionless. About four o'clock they again set off 

 to search for food until nightfall. Then there is another 

 halt, generally at some place where there are trees, but 

 this time open. Some lie down ; others rest against an ant- 

 hill, or sleep standing. As soon as they feel the freshness 

 of morning they resume their journey or their feeding, until 

 the sun forces them to seek shelter. They drink during 

 their feeding hours. 



On the other hand, in districts where they suspect danger,, 

 they drink, eat, or sleep when they can. But rest at night 

 is generally done away with in favour of forced marches,, 

 repose during the day being prolonged so that they may start 

 at nightfall, after having remained hidden the greater part 

 of the day. Even when resting, the animal does not lie 

 down, one elephant or several elephants being continually 

 on the qui vive, and raising their trunks in the air in a 

 disquieted manner to scent all suspicious smells. At the 

 slightest alarm the whole herd, upon receiving an unknown 

 signal, disappears with a swiftness and silence of which you 

 would not think these enormous animals capable. As has 



