50 
Mr. Corse's Observations on the 
it with the trunk, which, by natural instinct, they know will 
make the milk flow more readily into the mouth, while suck- 
ing. Elephants never lie down to give their young ones suck ; 
and it often happens, when the dam is tall, that she is obliged, 
for some time, to bend her body towards her young, to enable 
him to reach the nipple with his mouth ; consequently, if ever 
the trunk was used to lay hold of the nipple, it would be at this 
period, when he is making laborious efforts to reach it with his 
mouth, but which he could ahvays easily do with his trunk, if 
it answered the purpose. In sucking, the young elephant 
always grasps the nipple (which projects horizontally from 
the breast) with the side of his mouth. 
I have very often observed this ; and so sensible are the 
attendants of it, that, with them, it is a common practice to 
raise a small mound of earth, about six or eight inches high, 
for the young one to stand on, and thus save the mother the 
trouble of bending her body every time she gives suck, which 
she cannot readily do when tied to her picket. 
Tame elephants are never suffered to remain loose; as 
instances occur of the mother leaving even her young, and es- 
caping into the woods. 
Another circumstance deserves notice: if a wild elephant 
happens to be separated from her young, for only two days, 
though giving suck, she never afterwards recognizes or ac- 
knowledges it. This separation sometimes happened unavoid- 
ably, when they were enticed separately into the outlet of the 
keddah. I have been much mortified at sych unnatural con- 
duct in the mother; particularly when it was evident the young 
elephant knew its dam, and, by its plaintive cries and submis- 
sive approaches, solicited her assistance. 
