204 
THE ELEPHANT. 
oldest being foremost ; the females carrying 
the young ones firmly grasped in their trunks 
in the centre ; and the middle-aged bringing 
up the rear : but in extensive desert plain® 
they are less guarded. In the cultivated field® 
they often make great havoc, destroying wit^ 
their enormous feet more than they consuin^ 
as food. They are fond of cool shady places^ 
where they are sheltered from the mid-da/ 
sun, and love to bathe themselves with watc^' 
which they do by pouring it over their bodia® 
with their trunks. It is said that they ft®' 
quently roll in the mud, probably, like th® 
rhinoceros, for the purpose of sheathing 
skins against the persecution of insects. Tk® 
elephant resorts to other expedients to 
himself of these enemies ; he strikes them 
his tail, his ears, or his trunk ; he contrac*^® 
his skin and crushes them between its AvrJn' 
kies ; with his trunk he breaks down bougk® 
of trees and brushes them away ; and 
