THE ELEPHANT. 47 



that the white elephants are the largeft. P. 

 Tachard, on the contrary, allures us, that the 

 King of Siam's white elephant was diminutive, 

 though very old. After comparing the teilimo- 

 nies of travellers with regard to the magnitude 

 of elephants in different climates, it appears, 

 that the fmalleft are thole of the weft and north 

 of Africa, and that the ancients, who knew on- 

 ly the northern part of Africa, were right in 

 their general arTertion, that the Indian elephants 

 were much larger than thofe of Africa. But, in 

 the eaftern regions of this quarter of the world, 

 of which the ancients were ignorant, the ele- 

 phants are as large, and perhaps larger than 

 thofe of India. In this laft region, it appears, 

 that the elephants of Siam, Pegu, &c. are larger 

 than thofe of Ceylon ; which, however, from 

 the unanimous teftimony of travellers, have 

 more courage and intelligence. 



Having thus marked the principal fads with 

 regard to the fpecies, let us next examine, in 

 detail, the properties of the individual, his fenfes, 

 movements, fize, ftrength, addrefs, fagacity, &c. 

 In proportion to the magnitude of his body, 

 the eyes of the elephant are very fmall ; but 

 they are lively and brilliant : What diftin- 

 guimes them from the eyes of all other animals, 

 is a pathetic expreffion of fentiment, and an 

 a imoft rational management of all their actions *. 

 He turns them (lowly and with mildnefs towards 



his 



* . Elephantographia Chriftophori Petri ab Hartenfels. 



