NATURAL HISTORY. 



1C7 



Family III. . Elephantidae. (Gr. 'Efo>af, an Elephant. Elephant kind.) 

 Sub-family a. Elephantina. 



Indicus (Lat. Indian), the Indian Elephant* 



Of this magnificent animal, whose form is familiar to every 

 eye, two species are known, the Indian and the African. The 

 anatomy of this huge quadruped is well worthy of consideration. 

 Its head and tusks are so very heavy that no long neck would 

 bear them ; the neck is therefore very short. But this short- 

 ness of neck prevents the ELEPHANT from putting its head to 

 the ground, or from stooping to the water's edge. This appa- 

 rent defect is compensated by the wonderful manner in which 

 its upper lip and nose are elongated and rendered capable of 

 drawing up water or plucking grass. In the proboscis or trunk 

 there are about forty thousand muscles, enabling the Elephant 

 to shorten, lengthen, coil up, or move in any direction this 

 most extraordinary organ. The trunk is pierc3d throughout 

 its length by two canals, through which liquids can be drawn 



