THE ELEPHANT. 57 



cept what is thrown into it when open * ? it is, 

 therefore, extremely probable, that the young e- 

 lephant fucks with his trunk only. This pre- 

 emption is not only proved by the following 

 facts, but is founded on a flronger analogy than 

 that which gave rife to the opinion of the an- 

 cients. We formerly remarked, that, in general, 

 animals, at the moment of birth, can perceive 

 the prefence of the aliment they want by no o- 

 ther fenfe but that of fmelling. The ear can 

 have no effect ; neither can the eye ; for mod 

 animals are blind when they begin to fuck. The 

 fenfe of touching can only convey a vague and 

 indifcriminate notion of all the parts of the mo- 

 ther's body, or, rather, it can indicate nothing 

 relative to appetite. But the fenfe of fmelling 

 is alone fufficient for this purpofe: It is not on- 

 ly a fpecies of tafte, but a fore-tafle, which pre- 

 cedes, accompanies, and determines the other kind. 

 The elephant, therefore, like all other animals, 

 perceives, by this fore-tafte, the prefence of his ali- 

 ment ; and, as the feat of fmelling is united with 

 the power of faction at the extremity of the trunk, 

 he applies it to the teat, fucks the milk, and con- 

 veys it to the mouth to fatisfy his appetite. Be- 

 fides, the two paps, as in woman, are fituated on 

 the breaft, and, the teats being very fmall in pro- 

 portion to the frze of the young one's mouth, 



whofe 



* Voyez les Memoires pour fervir a l'hift. des Animaux, part, 

 3. p. IC9. et 110. 



