ElepJian tiana. 175 



The mode in which the animal drinks a bottle of 

 beer, wine, or spirits is very curious. 



The cork is half drawn, and the bottle handed 

 to the elephant. The animal puts the bottle on the 

 ground against a wall or tree trunk, holds it firmly 

 with one of its fore feet, grasps the cork with the 

 finger-like appendage at the end of the proboscis, 

 and twists it out in a moment. 



Then it takes the bottle by the mouth, and gradually 

 tilts it up until all the contents have been transferred 

 to the trunk. Then it gives the empty bottle to the 

 keeper, puts the end of its trunk into its mouth, blows 

 the whiskey down its throat, and holds out its trunk 

 for another supply. 



A rather ludicrous example of the fondness of the 

 elephant for spirits was lately exhibited by two of 

 Mr. Barnum's elephants. 



They had taken cold, and had a fit of the shivers. A 

 gallon or so of whiskey administered to each of them 

 speedily set them right. Next morning they were 

 quite well, but as soon as their keeper came in sight 

 they began to shiver violently, in hopes of obtaining 

 another dose of whiskey. 



Some years ago, an elephant, which belonged to a 

 travelling company, was housed for a night in the 

 stable of a hotel. Next morning the elephant was 

 gone, and no one had heard or seen anything of him. 

 That he should have been stolen was not likely, for 

 the thief could make no use of him, and how so 

 huge a beast could have concealed himself was a 

 mystery. The country was scoured in vain all day ; 

 but in the evening, a servant, who had occasion to 

 go to the wine-cellar of the hotel, there found the 

 elephant very quietly reposing among the bottles. 

 The animal had evidently been attracted by the scent 

 of the wine, and with the soft, noiseless tread of its 



