734 



THE ASIATIC ELEPHANT. 



space being filled with a vast number of honeycomb-like bony cells, their walls being 

 hardly thicker than strong paper, and their hollows filled during the life of the animal 

 with a kind of semi-liquid fat or oil. The brain lies in a comparatively small cavity 

 within this cellular structure, and is therefore defended from the severe concussions 

 which it would otherwise experience from the frequency with which the animal employs 

 its head as a battering-ram. It is easy to understand the difficulty of killing an 

 Elephant by aiming at the head, for unless the shot be directed towards one of the 

 apertures which lead to the brain, such as the eye, the ear, or the nostril, the bullet 

 only enters the mass of bony cells, and does comparatively little damage. It is 

 worthy of observation, that as the skull of the Asiatic and African Elephant is 

 different in shape, a bullet which will destroy one animal might have little effect on 

 the other. 



In order to support the enormous weight which rests upon them, the legs are very 

 stout, and are set perpendicularly, without that bend in the hinder leg which is found 

 in most animals. There is no elongated cannon bone in the Elephant, so that the hind 

 legs are without the so-called knee-joint. This structure, however, is of infinite use to 

 the animal when it climbs or descends steep acclivities, a feat which it can perform with 

 marvellous ease. It may seem strange, but it is nevertheless true, that localities which 

 would be totally inaccessible to a horse are traversed by the Elephant with perfect ease. 



In descending from a height, the animal performs a very curious series of manoeuvres. 

 Kneeling down, with its fore-feet stretched out in front, and its hinder legs bent back- 

 ward, as is their wont, the Elephant hitches one of its fore-feet upon some projection 

 or in some crevice, and bearing firmly upon this support, lowers itself for a short dis- 

 tance. It then advances the other foot, secures it in like manner, and slides still 

 farther, never losing its hold of one place of vantage until another is gained. Should 

 no suitable projection be found, the Elephant scrapes a hole in the ground with its 

 advanced foot, and makes use of this artificial depression in its descent. If the de- 

 clivity be very steep, the animal will not descend in a direct line, but makes an oblique 

 track along the face of hill. Although the description of this curious process occupies 

 some time, the actual feat is performed with extreme rapidity. 



Though the foot of an Elephant is extremely large, it is most admirably formed for 

 the purpose which it is destined to fulfil, and does not, as might be supposed, fall 

 heavily upon the ground. The hoof that incloses the foot is composed of a vast 

 number of horny plates that are arranged on the principle of the common carriage-spring, 

 and seem to guard the animal from the jarring shock of the heavy limb upon the soil. 

 Those who for the first time witness the walk or the run of the Elephant, are always 

 surprised at the silent ease of the creature's free, sweeping step. As there is no short 

 ligament in the head of the thigh-bone, the hind foot is swung forward at each step, 

 clearing the ground easily, but being scarcely raised above the surface of the earth. 



Having thus given a short sketch of the characteristics which are common to both 

 species of Elephants, I will proceed to a short account of the Asiatic animal. 



The ASIATIC ELEPHANT bears a world-wide fame for its capabilities as a servant and 

 companion of man, and for the extraordinary development of its intellectual faculties. 

 Hundreds of these animals are annually captured, and in a very short period of time 

 become wholly subjected to their owners, and learn to obey their commands with im- 

 plicit submission. Indeed, the power of the human intellect is never so conspicuous as 

 in the supremacy which man maintains over so gigantic and clever an animal as the 

 Elephant. In all work which requires the application of great strength, combined with 

 singular judgment, the Elephant is supreme ; but as a mere puller and hauler it is of 

 no very great value. In piling logs, for example, the Elephant soon learns the proper 

 mode of arrangement, and will place them upon each other with a regularity that would 

 not be surpassed by human workmen. Sir Emerson Tennent mentions a pair of Ele- 

 phants that were accustomed to labor conjointly, and which had been taught to raise 

 their wood piles to a considerable height by constructing an inclined plane of sloping 

 beams, and rolling the logs up the beams. The same writer, in his most valuable work 

 on Ceylon, gives the following curious instance of intelligence in an Elephant : 



