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CHAPTER III. 
BREEDING- HABITS—PERIOD OP GESTATION—THE CALF —SIZE OF 
THE YOUNG ELEPHANT—ITS GROWTH—MATERNAL AND FILIAL 
AFFECTION—TOUCHING STORY—CALF OF THE RHINOCEROS— 
INCAPABLE OF DOMESTICATION — PET ELEPHANTS — EMPLOY¬ 
MENT OF THE ELEPHANT IN WAR. 
S regards Southern Africa, at least, little seems 
'HL to be known, even to the natives themselves, 
of the breeding habits of the elephant. This arises 
partly from these animals pairing during the rainy 
season, extending from February to the middle of 
May, in which, while they are spread over an im¬ 
mense extent of country, either wholly uninhabited 
or only partially so, the hunters, owing to the 
prevalence of the “ horse-sickness,” are, in a 
great degree, prevented from going in pursuit of 
them. 
It is conjectured that the elephant begins to pro¬ 
pagate his species long before he has arrived at 
maturity. Indeed, there can be little doubt as to 
this being the case, for females in India have been 
known to grow very considerably after they have 
become pregnant. 
The period of gestation with the female elephant, 
as has been ascertained by the observation of such 
