THE MAMMOTH AND THE FLOOD 



possess a good deal of brains, seems to be shown by the way in 

 which a well-trained animal will obey the slightest sign of the 

 mahout in India. According to Sir Samuel Baker, localities 

 which produce in abundance particular kinds of fruit are remem- 

 bered, as well as the time at which the fruit will be at its best. 

 Stories of revenge, which are numerous enough, attest, so far as 

 their data are to be accepted as accurate, the power of memory 

 possessed by the Elephant. 



In spite of their longevity, however. Elephants, unlike Eome, 

 have not been built for eternity. We can only find two living 

 species ; but in past times Elephants were very numerous. They 

 commenced, so far as we know, in the Miocene. 



The existing forms are known in a fossil, or at least sub-fossil 

 state, from diluvial deposits ; and it is interesting to note that the 

 African Elephant had formerly a wider range than now. Its bones 

 (described as E. i^tIscus) have been met with in Spain and Sicily. 



One of the best known of completely-extinct Elephants is the 

 Mammoth, E. primigenius. This great Elephant in most respects 

 more nearly approached the existing Indian Elephant. The teeth 

 have quite as numerous plates. The tusks were enormous, reach- 

 ing a maximu.m length of 1 5 feet ; they were much curved upwards 

 as well as outwards. A large tusk weighs as much as 250 lbs. 

 The Mammoth was of exceedingly wide range. Not only was it 

 found in various parts of Europe, but it was especially abundant 

 in Siberia, as is exemplified by the fact that for the last two 

 hundred years as many or more than 100 pairs of tusks annually 

 have been sold from that region. It also occurred in America 

 together with forms at least not far removed from it, such as E. 

 columhianus. Mammoths have been more than once found as 

 entire carcases in the frozen soil of Siberia. The first was dis- 

 covered in the year 1799, and rescued some years later for the 

 St. Petersburg Museum. This example showed that the Mammoth, 

 unlike existing Elephants, was covered with thick wool mingled 

 with long and more bristly hairs of some 10 inches in length. 

 The softer wool formed a kind of mane beneath the neck, which 

 hung down as far as the knees. Another carcase was discovered 

 later by Lieut. Benkendorf, who did not save it, but was nearly 

 swept along with it into the sea by a flood. These creatures 

 died in the position in which they were found by being bogged 

 when in search of vegetation or water. 



