43 



the same time they increase the extent of bone surface for muscu- 

 lar attachment without increase of weight. Also they protect the 

 brain in animals which either fight or work with their foreheads 

 or in the emergencies of a forest life are liable to fracture of the 

 skull, since they remove the seat of collision to some distance from 

 the brain. They are broken up into numerous subdivisions by 

 irregular septa, the greater number of which radiate directly from 

 the outer firm layer of bone to that directly forming the cranium 

 and are thus valuable for resistance and, withal, thin enough 

 to be elastic. Small and scarcely present in the young animal, 

 the sinuses increase in size with age expanding the forehead and 

 giving the roots of the tusks perpendicularity in place of their 

 original downward and forward inclination and forming a large 

 projecting boss above the root of the trunk. To sportsmen and 

 those called upon to kill injured elephants it is most important to 

 know where to hit them so as to cause immediate death by the 

 bullet entering the brain. Inspg. Vety. Surgn. Steel, with a recent 

 specimen before him, wrote : — " There are no powerful bones 

 except one knob in front (the small aborted nasals), a walking 

 stick may almost be driven through the skull from the sides. The 

 Brain, only vital portion, lies far back and low. In a large male, 

 say 9^ ft. at shoulder, brain's extreme length horizontally is one 

 foot; vertically, I foot, shape oval. Three chief shots at the brain 

 are : — 



1 . Front or forehead shot ; On level ground, with head in 

 natural position, a shot in centre of forehead towards top of 

 hump at base of trunk and about 3 inches higher than a line 

 drawn between the eyes is fatal. 



2. Side or temple shot : if at right angles to the direction of 

 the animal, aim directly into the ear hole in a line to pass through 

 the opposite ear hole, or behind the eye in a hne between its 

 outer corner and the top of the ear — A bullet entering here will 

 prore immediately fatal. 



3. Rear or behind-ear shot : in the hollow just over the hump 

 or swelling at junction of jaw and neck — must be taken at an 

 angle of about 45 degrees from behind. Alteration in position of 

 the head involves alteration in the line of fire; thus an elephant 

 charging with his head high will have to be aimed at from in 

 front a foot or so lower down than when at rest". These state- 



