AFRICA. 235 
llripped of their leaves, and young flioots 
devoured. 
This was enough to induce me again to take 
the field ; efpecially as my people had been 
allowed fufficient time to repofe. I however 
chpfe rather to go and furprife thefe animals 
in the day time, than to wait for them in my 
tent during the night. In the morning, there- 
fore, I fet out ; but I was obliged to wander 
to a great diftance. From the top of an emi- 
nence, at the edge of the wood, I perceived 
four in fome very thick bufhes : and taking 
care to get to the leeward of them, I approach- 
ed with great precaution ; furveying them with 
much pleafure for half an hour, while they 
were eating the extremities of the branches. 
Before they took them in their mouths, they 
beat them three or four times with their 
trunks ; in order, as I imagine, to fhake off the 
ants, and other infedls. After this ceremony, 
they always grafped with their trunks all the 
branches they could furround ; and, convey- 
ing them to their mouths always on the left 
fide, fwallowed them without much chewing. 
I remarked that they preferred thofe branches 
which were beft furnifhed with leaves ; and 
jthat they were, befides, extremely fond of a 
yellow 
