GREAT ELEPHANT. 213 



about the woods of Asia and Africa in a state of 

 majestic mildness. Elephants are naturally gre- 

 garious. Large troops assemble together, and 

 live in a kind of society. They feed only on ve- 

 getables, and are fond of the young shoots of 

 trees. The Elephant is generally of a deep ash- 

 coloured brown, or nearly blackish ; but in some 

 parts of India it is said to be found, though very 

 rarely, of a white colour. In the young animals 

 the tusks are not visible: in the more advanced 

 state of growth they are extremely conspicuous; 

 and in the full-grown animal they advance se- 

 veral feet from the mouths of their sockets: it 

 is but rarely that the tusks are seen in the fe- 

 males ; and, when they appear, they are but small, 

 and their direction is rather downwards than up- 

 wards : this is also the case in some specimens of 

 the male Elephant ; so that there appears to be 

 some variation in this respect in different indi- 

 viduals. Tusks have sometimes been seen up- 

 wards of ten feet long ; particularly from the Mo- 

 sambique and Cochinchina. 



The teeth which are imported into Europe are 

 generally from Africa, where they are frequently 

 found in the woods. Instances have sometimes 

 occurred, in which, on sawing a tooth, a brass 

 bullet has been found completely imbeded in the 

 central part of the tooth ; the ivory having gra- 

 dually grown over it, and enclosed it. 



The Elephant is undoubtedly the largest of all 

 terrestrial animals, arriving at the height of 

 twelve feet; though the more general height 



