MARKS OF IDENTIFICATION. I 3 
arrangement with the vendor regarding a trial of the animals offered 
for sale. A good plan is to advance the vendor fifty or even 
one hundred rupees for a week's trial of an animal ; at the end of 
which period, should the intending purchaser decide not to buy, he 
forfeits his advance. This course is recommended for several 
reasons ; the animal produced for sale may have been lost or stolen ; 
a vicious beast may be drugged with opium or ganja, or it may be 
a weakly old creature fattened up for sale. The intending purchaser 
at least has an opportunity of observing the idiosyncrasies of the 
animal, also his working capabilities. Elephant-dealers, and some 
owners, are not above ''doctoring" animals for sale. Some years 
ago Government directed that no sales of elephants should have 
effect except on fulfilment of certain formalities prescribed for the 
purpose. The object was if possible to place a check upon the 
extent to which elephant-stealing had attained. The measures, 
however, having failed, the regulations have been set aside. There 
is an impression current that a bill-of-sale is necessary in the case 
of an elephant ; this however is an error. Registration is prescribed 
for the sale of immovable property only. The solitary advantage 
the purchaser could derive from registering his purchase would be 
that, in the event of the animal having been stolen property, his 
honesty in the transaction would be open to no question. 
Marks of Identification. 
Particular attention must be paid to all marks as a means of iden- 
tification, as elephant-stealing about the frontiers is a popular and 
very remunerative pastime. In the forests, when the day's work is 
finished, the foresters as a rule put cane fetters on their animals, 
suspend a bell or wooden clapper (ogoddoc), hka-lottk, from their 
necks, and then turn them loose to graze ; no watch is kept over 
the animals at night. The thief or thieves (who thoroughly under- 
stand the habits of elephants) hang about close by, waiting till the 
animal selected strays, when they go up remove or cut through the 
hobbles, mount him, untie the clapper, and then head for the frontier. 
To persuade the elephant that there is every need for hurry, a man 
behind makes use of an instrument somewhat resembling a cat-o'- 
nine-tails. It consist of a wristband carrying numerous tails at the 
end of each of which is a cube of lead. The hills, clad as they are 
with dense jungle, afford ample shelter ; the owner, when he 
suspects that the animal is stolen, usually has the good sense not 
to waste time in pursuit. Accomplished thieves make a good deal 
of money, for they steal an elephant in our territory, sell him in 
Siam, steal him again a month or so after, bring him across our 
