THE AFRICAN AND THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. 241 
should continue in the same ratio as of late years, 
the period of their final annihilation may not be 
very far distant. 
Two varieties of elephant are said to be peculiar 
to Southern Africa; and some even seem to con¬ 
sider them as distinct species. Thus Mr. Oswell, 
who has had great experience in these matters, and 
who has hunted both on the Limpopo and the 
Zouga rivers, tells me “ that the elephant of the 
former locality is of large proportions, with small 
tusks, whilst that of the latter is a comparatively 
small animal, but has very heavy tusks.” My own 
imperfect knowledge of and acquaintance with this 
animal, tends to corroborate the theory of the most 
ivory being found in small, but of course full grown, 
elephants. 
But the African and the Indian elephant not only 
differ widely in their habits, but are distinguished by 
peculiarities of form. 
One of the leading characteristics of the African 
species is its ears, which are not only of a some¬ 
what different shape from the Indian, but of an 
immensely superior size, covering the whole shoulder, 
descending to the legs, and overlapping the neck, 
“ to the utter exclusion of the Mahout,” as Captain 
Harris truly observes. Of the great size of these 
appendages, some idea may be formed from the fact 
that, when a full-grown bull-elephant advances in 
full charge with his ears cocked, his head measures 
about fourteen feet from the tip of one ear to that 
of the other, in a direct line across the forehead. 
Then, again, the head of the Indian species is 
R 
