ORDER PACHYDERMATA. 325 



large vacancies, which render it lighter ; the lower 

 jaw has no incisors ; the intestines are very volu- 

 minous; the stomach is simple; the csecum enor- 

 mous ; the mammae, two only in number, placed 

 on the breast. The young suck with the mouth, 

 and not with the trunk. 



But one genus of the Proboscidiana is known in 

 living nature, which is that of 



The Elephant (Elephas, L.), 



which comprehends the largest of terrestrial ani- 

 mals. The astonishing services they derive from 

 their trunk, at once the active powerful organ both 

 of touch and smell, contrasts with their clumsy 

 aspect and heavy proportions ; these, accompanied 

 with rather an imposing physiognomy, have con- 

 tributed to an exaggeration of the intelligence of 

 these animals. After studying them a long time, 

 we have not been able to observe that their intelli- 

 gence equals that of the Dog, or of many other car- 

 nivorous animals. Naturally gentle, the Elephants 

 live in troops, under the guidance of the old males ; 

 they feed exclusively on vegetables. 



Their distinctive character consists in the cheek- 

 teeth ; the body of which is composed of a number of 

 vertical lamina?, formed each of a bony substance, 

 enveloped in enamel, and tied together by a third 

 substance, called cortical, similar, in a word, to that 

 we have noticed in the Cabiaias, and in many other 

 of the Rodentia. These cheek-teeth succeed each 



