THE INDIAN ELEPHANT 



(Elephas indicus) 



Of the two known living Elephants the Indian species is much the 

 more familiar, being that commonly seen in captivity both in its native 

 country of South-Eastern Asia, where it ranges from India to Sumatra, 

 and in menageries away from it. Although not quite so large as the 

 African species, the Indian Elephant is, as every one knows, a huge 

 animal, the male occasionally reaching a height of eleven feet at the 

 shoulder, though it is usually two feet or more less. The female is 

 considerably smaller. It is a curious fact that twice the circumference 

 of the Elephant's fore-foot gives practically the height. The Elephant 

 is even more remarkable for its structure than its size ; the long 

 prehensile nose or trunk is a peculiarity which has appealed to 

 humanity ever since the Romans called the Elephant the " snake- 

 handed " beast, and its general shape is very unlike that of the hoofed 

 animals in general, with which it is usually classed. It will be noticed 

 that the joints of the limbs, which are nearly straight, are situated 

 nearly as in ourselves, the wrists and heels being down quite near 

 the toes, and the true knee plainly visible, whereas in most hoofed 

 animals the wrist forms the so-called " knee " of the fore-leg, and 

 the heel the "hock" of the hind-leg, the true knee being tucked up 

 to the body and constituting the stifle-joint. There are five nails on 

 the fore, and four on the hind feet, the toes being five in both. 



The huge size of the Elephant's head always attracts attention, but 

 the expanse of brow, which gives the appearance of intellect, is really 

 due to the development of air-cells in the skull, to give surface 

 without weight, the brain of the animal being remarkably small. The 

 teeth are not the least wonderful parts of the creature's organisation. 

 There are no canines, and no incisors except the great tusks in the 

 upper jaw, which grow continuously; in the Indian Elephant, how 

 ever, they are confined to the male — that is, in their full development, 

 those of females being so short as not to be noticeable. The grinders 

 are equally remarkable in their way; they are very large and longi- 



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