274 
HEIGHT OF ELEPHANTS. 
[chap. VII. 
elephant uses it as a lever to uproot trees and to tear 
up the roots of various hushes upon which he feeds. 
The African elephant is not only entirely different 
from the Indian species in his habits, but he also 
differs in form. 
There are three distinguishing peculiarities. The 
back of the African elephant is concave, that of the 
Indian is convex; the ear of the African is enormous, 
entirely covering the shoulder when thrown back, 
while the ear of the Indian variety is comparatively 
small. The head of the African has a convex front, 
the top of the skull sloping back at a rapid inclination, 
while the head of the Indian elephant exposes a flat 
surface a little above the trunk. The average size of 
the African elephant is larger than those of Ceylon, 
although I have occasionally shot monster rogues in 
the latter country, equal to anything that I have seen 
in Africa. The average height of female elephants in 
Ceylon is about 7 ft. 10 in. at the shoulder, and that of 
the males is about 9 ft.; but the usual height of the 
African variety I have found, by actual measurement* 
of females to be 9 ft., while that of the bulls is 10 ft. 6 in. 
Thus the females of the African are equal to the males 
of Ceylon. 
They also differ materially in their habits. In Ceylon, 
the elephant seeks the shade of thick forests at the 
