424 ELEPHANT-HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA chap. 



the illustration on page 97, he has succeeded most faithfully in 

 showing this peculiarity. I mean the shape of the upper part 

 of the ear. It will be seen that this curls over backwards in 

 a curve or arch at the top, and hangs behind as a loose flap. 

 Now the elephant in the Zoo (which, I am told, came from 

 North Africa) — and it is, I fancy, from this or former occupants 

 of those stables that most of the illustrations in books are 

 modelled — I say, this familiar representative of elephantine 

 Africa has ears lying on the top of its neck, with a small, flat 

 crease turned over outwards, as if ironed like a collar, on to 

 the front or inside surface. I have never shot an elephant 

 with ears like that ; and I was so much impressed with the 

 difference that I asked the keeper (to whom I am indebted 

 for much interesting information about the animals in his care) 

 whether anything was done to these, but he replied in the 

 negative. The following dimensions of the ear of one of the 

 bulls I shot will exemplify what I have been saying : — 



Depth of ear from tip to top of curl . . . 4 ft. 6 in. 



Depth of ear from tip to extreme end of flap . . 5 ft. 3^ in. 



It will be seen from this measurement that there are 9^ inches 

 of flap hanging over behind, from the top of the curl. This 

 never lies on the neck as in the Zoo specimen, but hangs 

 loosely between the back of the ear and the neck. 



While on the subject of measurements, I will give those I 

 made of rhinoceroses and zebras. The dimensions given of the 

 former animals illustrate the smaller size of the local variety 

 found on the east of Rudolph, while those of the zebras show 

 the great contrast between E. grevyi and the form of BurcJielli 

 (perhaps Granti) found in the same region. It will also be 

 noticed that the difference in size between the male and female 

 rhinoceros is much more marked in length than in height, the 

 male being longer in proportion to his height than the female 

 in both varieties. These measurements were all carefully taken, 

 and entered on the spot in my notebook. 



