404 
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 
pushed him shoulder to shoulder, and head to head, forcing 
him backwards, whilst at every step Siribeddi hauled in the 
slackened rope till she brought him fairly up to the foot of the 
tree, where he was made fast by the cooroowe people. A 
second noose was then passed over the other hind-leg, and 
secured like the first, both legs being afterwards hobbled to- 
gether by ropes made from the fibre of the kitool or jaggery 
palm, which, being more flexible than that of the cocoa-nut, 
occasions less formidable ulcerations. The two decoys then 
ranged themselves, as before, abreast of the prisoner on either 
side, thus enabling Ranghanie to stoop under them and noose 
the two fore-feet as he had already done the hind ; and these 
ropes being made fast to the tree in front, the capture was 
complete, and the tame elephants and keepers withdrew to 
repeat the operation on another of the herd. 
The second victim singled out from the herd was secured in 
the same manner as the first. It was a female. The tame 
ones forced themselves in on either side as before, cutting her 
off from her companions, whilst Ranghanie stooped under them 
and attached the fatal noose, and Siribeddi dragged her out 
amidst unavailing struggles, when she was made fast by each 
leg to the nearest group of strong trees. When the noose was 
placed upon her fore-foot, she seized it with her trunk, and suc- 
ceeded in carrying it to her mouth, where she would speedily have 
severed it had not a tame elephant interfered, and placing his foot 
on the rope pressed it downwards out of her jaws. . . . The 
conduct of the tame ones during all these proceedings was truly 
wonderful. They displayed the most perfect conception of 
every movement, both of the object to be attained and of the 
means to accomplish it. They manifested the utmost enjoy- 
ment in what was going on. There was no ill-humour, no 
malignity in the spirit displayed, in what was otherwise a 
heartless proceeding, but they set about it in a way that showed a 
thorough relish for it, as an agreeable pastime. Their caution 
was as remarkable as their sagacity ; there was no hurrying, no 
confusion, they never ran foul of the ropes, were never in the 
way of the animals already noosed ; and amidst the most 
violent struggles, when the tame ones had frequently to step 
across the captives, they in no instance trampled on them, or 
occasioned the slightest accident or annoyance. So far from 
this, they saw intuitively a difficulty or a danger, and addressed 
themselves unbidden to remove it. In tying up one of the 
larger elephants, he contrived, before he could be hauled close 
up to the tree, to walk once or twice round it, carrying tlie 
