550 UNGULATES. 



elephants, which are driven like crowbars beneath the roots, and used as levers, 

 in which rough labour they are frequently broken. Upon the overthrow of a tree, 

 the elephants eat the roots and leaves, and strip the bark from the branches by 

 grasping them with their rough trunks." In another passage the same writer 

 expresses his belief that two elephants may sometimes unite their strength in 

 order to overthrow a tree of more than ordinary size. The discrepancy in the two 

 foregoing accounts as to the amount of damage inflicted by elephants in a forest, 

 may be accounted for by the circumstance that while in the one district their food 

 consists largely of twigs and fruits, in the other it is mainly composed of bark and 

 roots. In South-Eastern Africa Mr. Selous bears testimony to the digging habits 

 of the elephant, stating that he has seen large areas of sandy soil ploughed up by 

 the tusks of these animals in their search for roots. 



In digging, as already incidentally mentioned, it appears that the elephant 

 always uses one particular tusk, which, in consequence, is much more worn than 

 the other. According to Sir S. Baker, it is nearly always the right tusk which is 

 selected for this duty ; and the one so used is termed by the Sudanis the hadam, 

 or servant. A curious question arises whether this preferential use of the right 

 tusk has any connection with our own right-handedness. 



In Southern Africa, at least, elephants drink almost every night, but only 

 rarely during the day. In that part of the continent they seek the deepest shades 

 of the forest during the heat of the day, and generally appear to sleep in a standing 

 posture. 



The African elephant associates in herds of varying size, which appear to be 

 generally family parties ; but the old bulls may be solitary, in pairs, or in small 

 parties, and keep apart from the larger herds, which usually consist of young 

 males, females, and calves. One of the largest herds seen by Mr. Selous was 

 estimated to contain from one hundred to two hundred head, but such assemblages 

 are rare. In many parts of Africa, including Abyssinia, Kilima-Njaro, and the 

 Sudan, elephants undertake periodical migrations, apparently necessitated by the 

 supply of food, or induced by the ripening of certain kinds of fruit in particular 

 districts. At such times it appears that the old bulls rejoin the herds to which they 

 belong. Once, and once only, Sir S. Baker had the opportunity of witnessing 

 such a migration, which he describes as follows : " We were marching through an 

 uninhabited country for about thirty miles, and, in the midst of beautiful park-like 

 scenery, we came upon the magnificent sight of vast herds of elephants. 



" These were scattered about the country in parties varying in number from 

 ten to one hundred, while single bulls dotted the landscape with their magnificent 

 forms in all directions. In some places there were herds of twenty or thirty, 

 entirely composed of large tuskers ; in other spots were parties of females with 

 young ones interspersed, of varying growth ; and this grand display of elephantine 

 life continued for at least two miles in length as we rode parallel with the groups 

 at about a quarter of a mile distant. It would have been impossible to guess the 

 number, as there was no regularity in their arrangement, neither could I form any 

 idea of the breadth of the area that was occupied." 



In describing his first view of the largest company of elephants he ever 

 encountered, Oswell writes that " as I got clear of the bush I came upon at least 



