IV 
SHIPPING WILD ANIMALS 
KLEPHANTS are easily trained and, when they 
once get the idea of what is expected of them, 
they will do it over and over with little variation. 
A trick or a certain kind of work immediately be- 
comes a habit with them. In fact, they casa form 
habits more rapidly than any other animals I have 
ever seen. 
In Burma there are large lumber mills, and ele- 
phants are used for rolling the logs into position 
for the saws. Pushing with their heads, they run 
the logs up two inclined skids to the platform. Two 
elephants do the pushing and a third elephant acts 
as boss. The boss need not be an especially intelli- 
gent animal; he is simply taught that the log must 
go up the skids in a certain way and that the two 
pushers must be kept even. In his trunk he carries 
a few links of anchor chain, which he uses as a 
whip. If one elephant falls behind, the boss gives 
him a rap with the chain. When the log is on the 
platform, the pushers turn and plod back for an- 
other. The boss elephant is quite unimpressed by 
his authority, and the others show no resentment 
when he swings the chain on them. 
When the whistle blows, the elephants know that 
pl 
