ELEPHANTS, HISTORICAL 165 



Another instance, in itself somewhat trivial, shows that this 

 animal possesses in a rudimentary form a faculty for extend- 

 ing the action of his natural powers by the aid of external 

 objects, for we are told that when tormented by flies an ele- 

 phant will break off a leafy branch with its trunk and make 

 use of it to brush away the importunate flies. We might 

 almost be tempted to see in this an indication of the first 

 feeble steps taken by the hypothetical homo alalus in his 

 progress toward the use of tools. 



The playfulness of a baby elephant is quite suggestive of 

 the somewhat disconcerting pranks of a romping child. The 

 traveller was warned not to pass it without being provided 

 with a stone or a club, for if this precaution were not taken 

 the little fellow — of an elephantine littleness — would be 

 sure as soon as the victim's back was turned to make a rush 

 at him from behind and knock him over. 



An anecdote, supposed to show that the elephant has a 

 keen sense of justice, is told of one kept in the Royal Me- 

 nagerie at Versailles in the eighteenth century. An animal 

 painter wished to make a particularly lifelike picture of this 

 elephant, and hence wanted to have the animal pose with 

 trunk uplifted and wide-open mouth. As may be readily 

 imagined this was no easy matter, but as an expedient the 

 painter directed his attendant to throw apples continuously 

 to the elephant, so that in order to catch them the desired 

 pose would be maintained. This the attendant proceeded to 

 do, but he did not think it necessary always to make an actual 

 throw, often contenting himself with simply going through the 

 motions. Exasperated at the repeated disappointments, the 

 elephant sought revenge for the trick; not, however, on the 

 attendant, but on the painter who was the real cause of the 

 offence, and filling its trunk with water, the animal squirted 

 this over the half -finished sketch, destroying it completely.* 



*Johann August Donndorf, "Natur und Kunst," Leipzig, 1790, Vol. II, pp. 102, 103. 



