INTRODUCTIO^Sr. 



PART I. 

 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT. 

 In a practical study, sucli as this is, we need-not entey into 

 questions of the origin of the various extant genera of Ele^ihas 

 nor their relations to the large extinct quadrupeds, mammoth and 

 mastodon. We need not even dilate on the use of Elephants as 

 animals of war by the Cai-thaginians, Romans, Persians, and other 

 great nations of the Past nor their use in grand triumphal pro- 

 cessions and in combats of the Arena. We at once proceed to 

 their value in the present day, when we find that as an animal of 

 war the Elephant is utilized only in the South of Asia, and even 

 there his use is becoming much restricted. The enormous 

 weight of the elephant, which renders Ljm difficult to transport by 

 boat or rail, and the expense of keep and original cost, as also, 

 his liability to disorder and the amount of care necessitated in 

 his use, have considerably restricted the employment of the Ele- 

 phant for military purposes among civilized races. His terror of 

 fire arms renders his huge bulk and great strength terrible rather 

 to friends than foes and in the Burmese wars formidable lines of 

 elephants have been put to rout by small bodies of Cavalry. Even 

 in Siam and Burma he is becoming in Government service mainly 

 an animal of State. However there are parts of our Indian Emr 

 pire in which he can still be rendered extremely useful fco an Army 

 for Transport and other purposes; thus he will carry tents and 

 other impedimenta, also mortars and cannon of various kinds, will 

 often serve to free a gun or wagon fixed in the mud by pressing 

 his enormous weight against it and wUl prove useful in bringing 

 heavy building materials for fortifications, bridges, and so on, also 

 in moving heavy siege train guns. In a jungle country too, he may 

 be used as a pioneer and road maker. He will, therefore, for a long 

 time continue to be one of our Army Animals in spite of his not 

 "standingfire," nor being useful intheexigencies of modern battle. 

 Though no longer retaining his former proud position in the fore- 

 most line of the fight, but ignominiously replaced by bullocks be- 

 forehereaches the line of fire, he still appears in gorgeous pageants 

 of State and proves useful in various ways to the sportsman. 



