ANIMALS, 4o9 



Of all quadrupeds, the elephant is the strongest, as well as the 

 largest ; and yet, in a state of nature, it is neither fierce nor for- 

 midable.' Mild, peaceful, and brave, it never abuses its powei 

 or its strength, and only uses its force for its own protection, or 

 that of its community. In its native deserts, the elephant is 

 seldom seen alone, but appears to be a social, friendly creature. 

 The oldest of the company conducts the band ; that which is next 



proboscis on the ground where they are about to tread for a footfall without 

 stones or sharp rocks, otherwise they are very nimble for their bulk, walk 

 lip and doMHi footways into ravines where camels cannot pass, and where 

 burses find difficulty. 



The period of gestation is twenty months ; the new-born elephant is about 

 three feet long, and all its senses are perfect : it sucks with the mouth and 

 not with the proboscis, turning the latter back in that operation. Lactation 

 continues nearly two years, and between fifteen and twenty years old they 

 may be said to be adult : though they have a great affection for their young, 

 it is understood that these suck indifferently all the females in the herd to 

 «liich they belong. They are gregarious, in herds of about 100, and inhabit 

 tlio humid forests and vicinity of rivers, in which they swim with great ease, 

 sometimes having no part above the surface of the water but the end of the 

 proboscis through vvliich they respire. \Vhen they quit the water they ai-u 

 fond of collecting the soil and dust with the proboscis, and covering their 

 boly with it. 



Though gregarious in their habits, solitary wild elephants are sometimes 

 met with, but tlu'se are always observed to be males, and are in general ex. 

 trtmely fiu-ious, attacking every thing they meet, and doing the greatest 

 daia.ige. It seems probable that these have been driven by stron^'er rivals 

 from the herd. 



It is the opinion in India that they live three centuries, and several now in 

 the service of the East India Company were old when they came into pos- 

 session of the Europeans upwards of eighty years ago. These old animals, 

 ho\\ever, dislike to rise from the ground, and are at first unwilling to move 

 forward, piping an angry note of dissent. 



It appears probable, though it is not determined, that there may be more 

 than one variety of the Asiatic elephant distinguished by the size of the 

 tuslcs ; those of the females are in general less than those of t!ie males 

 These tusks weigh sometimes as much as 150 pounds the pair. 



T/ie African Elephant is distinguished by a round or cylindrical head, with 

 I lie face more protruded than in the Asiatic species, a convex forehead and 

 enormous ears, which descend as far as the logs. Tliey are indeed so large, 

 that at the Cape they make sledges of them to draw the heavy tools to and 

 ft-nin the field, and even convey the sick. The peculiarity of the cheek-teeth 

 I) -fore noticed al o separates it, ami there is reason to think that three toes 

 (inlv of the hind feet have nails. The tusks are said to be of equal size both 

 in the male and female of this species, and the eyes are situate lower, nearer 

 the mouth, and more forward in the African elephant than in its Asiatic 

 congener. 



1 I have extracted the greatest part of this descriiition from Mr Buffon. 

 Where I ;.dil, I mark with comma.', " thus." 



2 Q 2 



