3 2 Mr. Corse’s Observations on the 
modesty in a high degree ; and, by some, his sagacity was sup- 
posed to excite feelings for the loss of liberty, so acute, as to 
cause him to refuse to propagate his species while in slavery, 
lest he should entail on his progeny a fate similar to his own ; 
whilst others have asserted, that he lost the power of procrea- 
tion in the domestic state. 
So circumstanced, I was desirous of taking advantage of my 
situation, and of making such experiments and observations, as 
might tend to render more perfect the natural history of this 
useful animal. 
Early in the year 1789, I gave an account of the methods 
then used for taking and training wild elephants, to the Asiatic 
Society in Calcutta, which was published in Vol. III. of their 
Researches; and the following experiments and observations, 
made since that period, on the natural history of the elephant, 
will not, I hope, prove unworthy the attention of the Royal 
Society. 
The young of the elephant, at its birth, is about 35 inches 
high ; and, as a knowledge of its progressive growth forms 
the best criterion by which we can judge of the age of this ani- 
mal, I shall here note down some observations made on this 
subject, till the elephant has attained its full size; for, after this 
period, till signs of old age appear, I do not know any marks 
by which a tolerable guess can be made of the number of its 
years, unless we could examine the teeth accurately; and, even 
then, there would be much uncertainty. 
Very erroneous notions have been entertained, with re- 
spect to the size of elephants, in different parts of India ; for 
which reason, I have collected such facts as were likely to 
ascertain their general height. The following observations, of 
