466 ELEPHAiSTTIdi. 



first bends the hind legs one after the other, then the fore legs, 

 which are stretched out in front ; in rising the process is reversed. 



Few animals not aquatic by nature swim as well as elephants. 

 They have been known to swim for six hours or even more without 

 resting. The pace is not rapid, probably about a mile an hour. 



Tlie principal sounds made by elephants are the following. 

 First the shrill trumpet, var^-ing in tone, and expressive, some- 

 times of fear, sometimes of auger. Secondly a roar from the 

 throat, caused by fear or pain. A peculiar hoarse rumbling in the 

 throat may express anger or want, as when a calf is calling for its 

 mother. Pleasure is indicated by a continued low squeaking 

 through the trunk. Lastly, there is a peculiar metallic souud made 

 by rapping the end of the trunk on the ground and blowing 

 through it at the same time. This indicates alarm or dislike, and 

 is the well known indication of a tiger's presence. An elephant 

 sometimes tries to frighten its enemies by blowing through its 

 trunk. 



Most elephants are timid inoffensive animals, though individuals 

 are vicious ; females with young offspring and solitary males 

 or " rogues " being most disposed to attack. The attack is made 

 with the trunk tightly coiled, the feet, and in males the tusks, 

 being used for purposes of offence, and the adversary, if caught, is 

 generally trampled upon. 



I quite agree with Sanderson in believing that the intelligence 

 of elephants has been greatly overrated. They are singularly 

 docile and obedient — no other mammal is known to be capable of 

 domestication when adult to nearly the same extent — and docility 

 in animals is generally I think confounded with intelligence *. 

 Judging by the development of its brain, an elephant is probably 

 of lower intellectual capacity than other Ungulates. 



Tame elephants very rarely breed in India. In parts of Burma 

 and Siam breeding from tame females is said to be common. The 

 period of gestation has been ascertained to be about 19 mouths 

 (Heysham, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 731, and 1880, p. 23), though it is 

 said to vary from 18 io 22; and according to some writers (e. ;/. 

 Campbell, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 139) tlie latter period has been recorded 

 (see also P. Z. S. 1880, p. 222, and J. Ac. Sc. Philad. (2) viii, 

 p. 413). The young are generally born in September, October, 

 and November, though a few are produced at other seasons. 

 Twins are a rare exception, a single young one the rule. The 

 young when born is about 3 feet high and weighs about 200 lb. 

 It sucks with the mouth, not with the trunk, which is short and 

 but little flexible. An elephant is full grown, but not fully mature, 

 at 25 years of age, and individuals have been known to live over 

 100 years in captivity ; in a wild state their existence probal)ly 

 extends to 150 years. 



Male elephants are liable to periodical attacks of excitement, 

 supposed to be of a sexual nature, though this does not appear 



* ' Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia,' p. 225, note. 



