XIV 



its Superintendent. The total revenue from the elephant mahala 

 in Assam amounted in 1881 to Rs. 63,108, i.e., a large clear 

 gain to Government. Only females are in future to be pur- 

 chased for the public service (Commissariat Code, para. 1768) — 

 the necessary numbers can readily be obtained from Dacca al- 

 though many are lost by death and incapacitation through inju- 

 ries in capture and training, also defective preliminary domestica- 

 tion. A recent Army Commission has recommended that the 

 Keddah establishment be abolished and such Commissariat ele- 

 phants as are required be the Government share of captures made 

 by native hunters. At present the restrictions on private capture 

 render the prices exorbitant. 



lu Nepaul there is a breed of elephant of dwarf size and adapted 

 for life among the mountains. In the Malay Peninsula (see Orien- 

 tal Sporting Magazine, (New Series), Vol. I., 1868) there seem 

 to be two varieties, those north of the hilly districts of Queda 

 resemble the Mirgabund, or very light built Indian elephant, 

 those south of Queda (including Cambodia, Cochin China, Bor- 

 neo, and Sumatra) are much heavier in build, more majestic, 

 carry their heads higher, and slope more from the top of the spine 

 to the tail root — the forehead, too, is much more prominent. It 

 has been observed that, whereas "tuskers" are rare in Ceylon, in 

 India and South of Queda (in Malaya) they are the rule. Muck- 

 nas or Hives, on the other hand, are frequent (and always have 

 tusks) in South Malaya but are rare in India. 



The Dacca captures show : — 



Males : females : : 43 : 100 



Male tuskers : Mucknas : : 10 : 1 



F. T. P., writing to the " Field," says Mucknas, are exactly 

 like Ceylon elephants and have 20 pairs of ribs. They are tusk- 

 less or have imperfect tusks pointing downwards, are of larger 

 size and have long melancholy looking heads, narrow foreheads, 

 and great depressions between the frontals above the eyes and 

 the temple ; trunk large and massive ; eye sleepy : countenance 

 morose and are excellent workers. Some elephants (Gnneshes) 

 are born with only one tusk— if this be the right hand one they 

 are reverenced by the Hindoos. 



Much has been said about the " White Elephant," which 

 jeceives royal and divine honours in Burma— its very name Las 



