CHAP. Ill 
THE ELEPHANT 
75 
impossible to decide, as it must depend upon the 
requirements of the purchaser and the depth of his 
pocket. Elephants differ in price as much as horses, 
and the princes of India exhibit profuse liberality in 
paying large sums for animals that approach their 
standard of perfection. 
The handsomest elephant that I have ever seen 
in India belongs to the Rajah of Nandgaon, in the 
district bordering upon Reipore. I saw this 
splendid specimen arhong twenty others at the 
Durbar of the Chief Commissioner of the Central 
Provinces in December 1887, and it completely 
eclipsed all others both in size and perfection of 
points. The word “ points ” is inappropriate when 
applied to the distinguishing features of an elephant, 
as anything approaching the angular would be con¬ 
sidered a blemish. An Indian elephant to be perfect 
should be 9 feet 6 inches in perpendicular height 
at the shoulder. The head should be majestic in 
general character, as large as possible,—especially 
broad across the forehead, and well rounded. The 
boss or prominence above the trunk should be solid 
and decided, mottled with flesh-coloured spots ; these 
ought to continue upon the cheeks, and for about 
three feet down the trunk. This should be immensely 
massive; and when the elephant stands at ease, the 
trunk ought to touch the ground when the tip is 
slightly curled. The skin of the face should be soft 
to the touch, and there must be no indentations or 
bony hollow’s, which are generally the sign of age. 
The ears should be large, the edges free from 
