HABITS OF THE ELEPHANT. 265 



mark of the under tusk is always deeply imprinted in 

 the ground, proving that they lie upon their sides. I 

 never remarked that females had thus lain down, and 

 it is only in the more secluded districts that the bulls 

 adopt this practice ; for I observed that, in districts 

 where the elephants were liable to frequent disturb- 

 ance, they took repose standing on their legs beneath 

 some shady tree. Having slept, they then proceed to 

 feed extensively. Spreading out from one another, and 

 prooeediiig in a zigzag course, they smash and destroy 

 all the finest trees in the forest which happen to lie in 

 their course. The number of goodly trees which a herd 

 of bull elephants will thus destroy is utterly incredible. 

 They are extremely capricious, and on coming to a 

 group of five or six trees, they break down not unfre- 

 quently the whole of them, when, having perhaps only 

 tasted one or two small branches, they pass on and 

 continue their wanton work of destruction. I have re- 

 peatedly ridden through forests where the trees thus 

 broken lay so thick across one another that it was al- 

 most impossible to ride thrgngh the district, and it is 

 in situations such as these that attacking the elephant 

 is attended with most danger. During the night they 

 will feed in open plains and thinly-wooded districts, but 

 as day dawns they retire to the densest covers within 

 reach, which nine times in ten are composed of the im- 

 practicable wait-a-bit thorns, and here they remain 

 drawn up in a compact herd during the heat of the 

 day. In remote districts, however, and in cool weather, 

 I have known herds to continue pasturing throughout 

 the whole day. 



The appearance of the wild elephant is inconceivably 

 majestic and imposing. His gigantic height and co- 

 lossal bulk, so greatly surpassing all other quadrupeds, 



Vol. I.— M 



