THE ELEPHANT. 161 



Ia the island of Ceylon the general value of an 

 Elephant is about fifty pounds sterling. But if there 

 is any ble;nish ; if, for instance, its tail has been 

 plucked off, one of its ears slit, or it has suffered 

 any other kind of damage ; very considerable de- 

 ductions are made. And, as it is very unusual to 

 find an Elephant free from all these defects, those 

 that arc so are conimonly sold at from one to 

 two hundred pounds each. They afe taken to market 

 at certain stated periods ; and generally sold, a great 

 number together, by auction. It is customary for 

 two or more persons to purchase conjointly, fifty, 

 sixty, or a hundred Elephants ; which they af:er- 

 v/ards dispose of in separate lots, with great profit *. 



Elephants are said to be extremely susceptible of 

 the power of music. Suetonius relates that the em- 

 peror Domitian had a troop of Elephants disciplined 

 to dance to the sound of music • and that one of 

 them who had been beaten for not having his lesson 

 perfect, was observed the night afterwards in a mea- 

 dow, practising it by himself ! 



At Paris some curious experiments have been 

 lately made on the power of music over the sensibi- 

 lity of the Elephant. A band of music went to play 

 in a gallery extending round the upper part of the 

 stalls in which were kept two Elephants, distinguish- 

 ed by the names of Mjrgarel and Hans. A perfect si- 

 lence was procured. Some provisions of which they 

 were fond were given them to engage their attention. 



* Tlnmbers?, iv. '213. 



Vol. L M 



