71 



birth she appeared a trifle uneasy, but gave no evidence of posi- 

 tive labour pains. The delivery was very sudden, and occurred 

 while she was standing, having previously separated the posterior 

 extremities to a slight degree." 



" The baby presented head and front feet first, enclosed in its 

 membranes, and appeared to be going up and out of the rectum, 

 which appearance was accounted for by its passage over the 

 pubic arch, and in less than three minutes it had dropped to the 

 ground. The mother instantly straightened up, crossed her pos- 

 terior extremities, and by rubbing them together soon severed 

 the cord. The little one lay perfectly quiet, and apparently was 

 not breathing ; but the mother, as soon as the cord was broken, 

 turned round, and with one of her anterior feet struck the mem- 

 branous sac quite forcibly, which instantly broke with a loud re- 

 port. After rupturing the membranes, she placed her foot on the 

 thorax, and pressed it with the appearance of considerable force, 

 raised it and pressed again, and repeated this operation several 

 times, until the little one began to breathe and gave positive 

 evidence of life, when she ceased and appeared satisfied. Now 

 for the first time, she was considei-ably excited. This stage of 

 excitement lasted for abont half an hour. About .this time the 

 baby made several attempts to gain his feet, and finally succeed- 

 ed, but was quite weak on his legs for a number of hours."* 



" The mother gave every evidence of suffering more pain after 

 the delivery, and until the placenta was discharged, than in giving 

 birth to the baby. There was a low beam near by, which she 

 got astride of, and settled down upon quite heavily until the after- 

 birth was discharged, which occurred two hours after the foetus." 

 This was accompanied by a slight flow of blood j after it the 

 animal stepped back from over t'le beam, and appeared perfectly 

 relieved. The calf commenced to suck five hours after birth. 



* Wien wc consider the sagacity shown by the elephant under varioag 

 circumstances and tlie amplitude of detail of the aljove description, wo shall 

 have less difficulty, than we otherwise might find, in believing that the' 

 elephant cow will, on emergency, resort to artificial respiration with the 

 newly bom calf. We must remember, however, that no such remarkable 

 behaviour has been recorded by otliers who have observed an elephant cow 

 give birth and manipulation of the young animal, both in and out of its 

 membranes, with the foot might easily be mistakenly supposed to have the 

 objects above ascribed to it. 



