OF NATURAL HISTORY. 79 



the moft complete, as well as the mofl: admirable. It is not 

 only an organic inftrument, but a triple fenfe, whofe united 

 functions exhibit the efFecls of that wonderful fagacity which 

 exalts the elephant above all other quadrupeds. He is not 

 fo fubjecl, as fome other animals, to errors of vifion ; be- 

 caufe he quickly redtifies them by the fenfe of touch •, and, 

 by uling his trunk as a long arm, for the purpofe of touch- 

 ing remote obje(5ls, he acquires, like man, clear ideas of dif- 

 tances. But other animals, except fuch as have a kind of 

 arms and hands, can only acquire ideas of diftances by trav- 

 erfing fpace with their bodies. Delicacy of feeling, the flexi- 

 bility of the trunk, the power of fusion, the fenfe of fmel- 

 ling, and the length of the arm, convey ideas of the fub- 

 ftance of bodies, of their external form, of their weight, of 

 their falutary or noxions qualities, and of iheir diftances. 

 Thus, by the fame organs, and by a fimultaneous adt, the ele- 

 phant feels, perceives, and judges of feveral things at one 

 time. It is by virtue of this combination of fenfes and 

 faculties in the trunk that the elephant is enabled to per- 

 form fo many wonderful actions, notwithftanding the enor- 

 mity of his mafs and the difproportions of his form. The 

 thicknefs and rigidity of his body ; the fhortnefs and fliff- 

 nefs of his neck -, the fmallnefs of his head ; the largenefs 

 of his ears, nofe, and tu&s ; the minutenefs of his eyes, 

 mouth, genitals, and tail ; his flraight, clumfy, and almoft 

 inflexible limbs ; the fhortnefs and fmallnefs of his feet ; the 

 thicknefs and callofity of his fliin ; all thefe deformities are 

 the more obvious and difagreeable, becaufe they are model- 

 led on a large fcale, and mofl of them are pecuHar to the 

 elephant. 



From this fingular conformation, the animal is fubje^ed 

 to many inconveniences. Fie moves his head with difficul- 

 ty, and cannot turn back without making a large circuit. 

 For this reafon, the hunters attack him behind, or on 



