LS69.] DR. A. CAMPBELL ON THE INDIAN ELEPHANT, l3S 



" keda wala" is eniphatically described as always being in the way 

 of wealth or ruin. He is an "Ameer" or " Fiigeer," i. e. a " prince 

 or a beggar ;" so proverbially uncertain are his gains, and his trade 

 so full of risks. 



The proportion of adult females caught is probably as eight to 

 one. This arises from two causes. They are less violent and more 

 easily subdued ; and it is rare to find more than one male with a 

 whole herd of females, and he is always an immense one and rarely 

 to be mastered. 



The catchers and dealers give numerous divisions or varieties of 

 the Elephant, such as Muringi, Kumulia, Kooji, &c. They also 

 notice the peculiarities of arched and straight backs ; but^it is suffi- 

 cient to attend to the following for practical purposes. The males 

 are tusked or tuskless, i.e. "Dantal" or " Mukuna ;" one-tusked 

 ones are prized by Hindoos. One with the left tusk is a " Gauess," 

 God of Wisdom ; with the right a " Manik dunta." The females 

 are maiden or mothers, the terms being "Sareen" and "Dohi;" a 

 barren one is also a " Sareen," and the Dohi is not reckoned of 

 equal value. The Sareen is distinguished from the Dohi by the 

 small teats and undeveloped mammas. A male is 20 per cent., at 

 least, more prized than a female, on account of his greater strength 

 and powers of endurance. It seems difficult to ascertain the period 

 required for the full growth of the Elephant. After comparing 

 many opinions and statements, I make it twenty-five years, and the 

 knovvn age eighty-five in the same manner. The female goes eighteen 

 months with young, and gives suck for two years. In addition to 

 the smaller size, youth is indicated by a general smoothness and 

 roundness of the" face and trunk, with an almost unmistakable 

 expression of simplicity and innocence as you examine the face 

 standing right in front. The central depression on the top of the 

 head is but faintly developed in youth, while in an aged animal the 

 coronal protuberances stand up prominently. The ears in youth 

 and middle age are thin, light, and unbroken along the outer margin ; 

 in age they are large, flapping, thick, and jagged. 



There is no particular breeding-season. "Elephants, like cows 

 in India, have young all the year round." The mother shows great 

 affection for her young, and even when chased by the catchers will 

 not leave it, if it gets into trouble or is too young to follow. The 

 mothers frequently fall an easy prey on this account, allowing them- 

 selves to be noosed while they are helping on the young one. A 

 young one of six months will fly off when the mother is taken ; 

 under that age it will stick to the captive mother. Twins are 

 unknown. 



The catching-season is from November to July; June is the 

 month in which the greatest number are taken. The fresh grass 

 and reeds, after the annual burning, is then greatly relished by 

 these animals, who come far out of the forest to seek it. The 

 Elephant is gregarious in the highest degree : herds of more than a 

 hundred are sometimes seen ; fifty, thirty, and twenty are common. 

 Sullen males, which have been driven out of the herd by hard fight- 



