558 
M. BUNKER. 
As soon as the babe in the membranes was expelled from the 
vagina, the mother, by rubbing her hind legs, tore the umbilical 
cord ; then, with a blow from one of her front feet, she ruptured 
the envelopes. After she did this, she got down on her knees and 
with her head at the junction ©f the trunk, rolled her baby out 
of the membranes. Rising, she placed her fore foot upon the 
chest of the little one, and with one or two gentle pressures started 
respiration in the babe. 
The little one, two hours after birth, weighed 145 lbs., and is 
about two-thirds of the size of Columbia, born last year. The 
little one is of a light mouse color, with a pinkish hue around 
the eyes, and is bright, active and full of play. The period of ges¬ 
tation in the elephant has always been given as two years, but 
here are two cases which show the period to be about twenty 
months, Hebe carrying her young twenty months and twenty 
days, Queen carrying her young a few days less than twenty 
months; the time in both cases being reckoned from the last 
copulation. In both instances the male was allowed access to the 
female six or eight times during a period of six weeks, whenever she 
would receive him. 
At the time of visit, four days after delivery, the mother and 
babe were doing finely. The secretion of milk was becoming 
more in quantity and better in quality. It was of the color of 
cow’s milk, but much sweeter-tasting, like that of a cocoanut. 
The amount of secretion was about that of a good cow. 
The mammae are situated in the pectoral region, and occupy 
the same relative position as do those of the human family, the 
nipples, however, extending at an angle of 45° behind the fore leg. 
One nipple has eleven issues and the other thirteen. 
The young elephant, contrary to the general opinion, grasps 
the nipple with his mouth, rolling his trunk back over his fore¬ 
head. 
I had hoped to be able to give you a full account of the 
placenta, as I expected to see it in this city, but it has not come 
as yet. 1 will, however, say that I found there were five cotyli- 
dons, each about six inches in diameter, an umbilical cord be¬ 
tween two and three feet in length, and having three arteries and 
three veins. 
