CHAP. IV 
THE ELEPHANT 
I 2 I 
in a menagerie who had killed her keeper, and 
was known to be most treacherous. Her attendant 
informed me that she was particularly fond of 
change, and would welcome a new keeper with 
evident signs of satisfaction, but after three or four 
days she would tire of his society and would 
assuredly attempt to injure him, either by backing 
and squeezing him against the wall, or by kicking 
should he be within reach of her hind legs. 
Few persons are aware of the extreme quickness 
with which an elephant can kick, and the great 
height that can be reached by this mischievous use 
of the hind foot. I have frequently seen an 
elephant kick as sharp as a small pony, and 
the effect of a blow from so ponderous a mass 
propelled with extreme velocity may be imagined. 
This is a peculiar action, as the elephant is devoid 
of hocks, and it uses the knees of the hind legs 
in a similar manner to those of a human being, 
therefore a backward kick would seem unnatural; 
but the elephant can kick both backwards and for¬ 
wards with equal dexterity, and this constitutes a 
special means of defence against an enemy, which 
seldom escapes when exposed to such a game 
between the fore and hind feet of the infuriated 
animal. 
Although it is generally believed that an ele¬ 
phant moves the legs upon each side simultaneously, 
like the camel, it does not actually touch the ground 
with each foot upon the same side at exactly the 
same moment, but the fore foot touches the surface 
