55° 
UNGULATES. 
elephants, which are driven like crowbars beneath the roots, and used as levers, 
in which rough labour they are frequently broken. Upon the overthrow of a tree, 
the elephants eat the roots and leaves, and strip the bark from the branches by 
grasping them with their rough trunks.” In another passage the same writer 
expresses his belief that two elephants may sometimes unite their strength in 
order to overthrow a tree of more than ordinary size. The discrepancy in the two 
foregoing accounts as to the amount of damage inflicted by elephants in a forest, 
may be accounted for by the circumstance that while in the one district their food 
consists largely of twigs and fruits, in the other it is mainly composed of bark and 
roots. In South-Eastern Africa Mr. Selous bears testimony to the digging habits 
of the elephant, stating that he has seen large areas of sandy soil ploughed up by 
the tusks of these animals in their search for roots. 
In digging, as already incidentally mentioned, it appears that the elephant 
always uses one particular tusk, which, in consequence, is much more worn than 
the other. According to Sir S. Baker, it is nearly always the right tusk which is 
selected for this duty; and the one so used is termed by the Sudanis the hadam, 
or servant. A curious question arises whether this preferential use of the right 
tusk has any connection with our own right-handedness. 
In Southern Africa, at least, elephants drink almost every night, but only 
rarely during the day. In that part of the continent they seek the deepest shades 
of the forest during the heat of the day, and generally appear to sleep in a standing 
posture. 
The African elephant associates in herds of varying size, which appear to be 
generally family parties; but the old bulls may be solitary, in pairs, or in small 
parties, and keep apart from the larger herds, which usually consist of young 
males, females, and calves. One of the largest herds seen by Mr. Selous was 
estimated to contain from one hundred to two hundred head, but such assemblages 
are rare. In many parts of Africa, including Abyssinia, Kilima-Njaro, and the 
Sudan, elephants undertake periodical migrations, apparently necessitated by the 
supply of food, or induced by the ripening of certain kinds of fruit in particular 
districts. At such times it appears that the old bulls rejoin the herds to which they 
belong. Once, and once only, Sir S. Baker had the opportunity of witnessing 
such a migration, which he describes as follows :—“ We were marching through an 
uninhabited country for about thirty miles, and, in the midst of beautiful park-like 
scenery, we came upon the magnificent sight of vast herds of elephants. 
“ These were scattered about the country in parties varying in number from 
ten to one hundred, while single bulls dotted the landscape with their magnificent 
forms in all directions. In some places there were herds of twenty or thirty, 
entirely composed of large tuskers; in other spots were parties of females with 
young ones interspersed, of varying growth ; and this grand display of elephantine 
life continued for at least two miles in length as we rode parallel with the groups 
at about a quarter of a mile distant. It would have been impossible to guess the 
number, as there was no regularity in their arrangement, neither could I form any 
idea of the breadth of the area that was occupied.” 
In describing his first view of the largest company of elephants he ever 
encountered, Oswell writes that “ as I got clear of the bush I came upon at least 
