THE WILD FAUNA OF THE EMPIEE 47 



THE DOMESTICATION OF THE AFEIOAN ELEPHANT. 

 1. By P. L. ScLATER, D.Sc, F.R.S. 



In my article ' On the Best Mode of Preserving the Existence 

 of the Larger Mammals of Africa for Future Ages,' published 

 in the second volume of this Society's Journal, I placed the African 

 elephant at the head of the list, and stated that it would be a dis- 

 grace to our age to allow such a fine and noble animal to perish 

 off the face of the earth. In order to meet this very undesirable 

 (but likely) contingency, I suggested that a ' kheddah ' should 

 be moved across from British India to British East Africa and 

 established on the slopes of Mount Kenia for the purpose of cap- 

 turing and taming the African elephant. Much to my surprise, 

 however, I have lately ascertained that the authorities of the 

 much-abused Congo Free State have been before us in this matter, 

 and at their station on the Kiver Welle have already established 

 a mission expressly for this object. Moreover, as will appear 

 from the article on this subject in La Tribune Congolaise of 

 August 5, 1906, of which I subjoin a translation, the Mission 

 appears to have attained a considerable amount of success. Under 

 these circumstances it will be, perhaps, not necessary to go to 

 the expense of importing a ' kheddah ' from India. What the 

 of&cials of the Congo Free State have done on the Welle, our 

 officials in British East Africa might surely do on Mount Kenia, 

 if supplied with the necessary means and instructions. If our 

 officials meet with difficulties in the matter, they might even be 

 instructed to cross the border into the Congo Territory and take 

 a lesson from the Free State authorities on the capture and taming 

 of the African elephant. 



I subjoin a translation of the article on ' The Domestication of 

 the Elephant in the Congo Free State,' published in La Tribune 

 Congolaise, as above mentioned : 



' The courier who has lately returned from the Congo has 

 brought us some interesting news from the Mission formed for 

 the capture and training of elephants which has been established 

 at Agri, on the Eiver Welle. 



* The number of elephants captured — which, on December 31, 

 1905, was only thirteen — has increased considerably in conse- 

 quence of the captures effected during the months of January, 

 February, and March of this year, and at the end of March had 

 reached the total of twenty -eight. Some of the young elephants 



