TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



and possess an extraordinary tenacity of life. The peculiar 

 formation of the skull protects the brain, thus rendering 

 the forehead shot very uncertain ; whereas in the Asiatic 

 variety such a shot is instantly fatal. 



On the other hand, if a side or temple shot is offered by 

 an elephant standing quite still, the brain may be easily 

 reached if the bullet is well placed — i.e., on the outer edge 

 of the central portion of the ear. The shoulder shot is 

 also very effective, provided a heavy rifle is used, for 

 should the heart be missed the lungs would be pierced, and 

 the animal rendered helpless at once. 



I remember on one occasion I had severely wounded a 

 bull elephant ; the ball catching him high up on the shoulder- 

 blade had rendered him instantly dead lame. Anxious to 

 try the effect of a forehead shot, I ran up to within ten 

 yards of him, and aiming for the forehead, fired a right 

 and left, both bullets striking him within an inch of each 

 other directly below the eyes. 



However, beyond recoiling at the shots, he did not 

 appear much the worse for the stunning effects of the metal. 

 I was using an 8-bore Paradox, and I had eventually to 

 kill him with the temple shot ! 



On another occasion, a female elephant I had wounded 

 suddenly wheeled round and charged. I fired when she 

 was about nine paces distant, aiming below the boss or 

 projection above the trunk, killing her instantly ; and this 

 with the same gun, 8-bore Paradox, which had failed to 

 floor the bull elephant ! 



It would have been interesting had I preserved them to 

 have examined the skulls of the two animals, which I regret 

 I did not think of doing. Possibly, in the case of the bull 

 elephant, I may not have made sufficient allowance for 

 the position of the brain and have gone a trifle high. 



The brain of an African elephant rests upon a plate of 

 bone exactly above the roots of the upper grinders. It 

 is thus wonderfully protected from the front shot as it is so 

 low that the ball invariably passes over it. 



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