But, though the elephant be thus admirably supplied by its trunk, yet, with respect to the rest of its conformation, it is unwieldy and helpless. The neck is so short that it can scarce turn the head, and must wheel round in order to discover an enemy from behind. The hunters that attack it upon that quarter generally thus escape the effects of its indignation, and find time to renew their assaults while the elephant is turning to face them. To the rest of the elephant's incumbrances may be added its enormous tusks, which are unserviceable for chewing, and are only weapons of defence. These, as the animal grows old, become so heavy that it is sometimes obliged to make holes in the walls of its stall to rest them in, and ease itself of the fatigue of their support. It is well known to what an amazing size these tusks grow: they are two in number, proceeding from the upper jaw, and are sometimes found above six feet long.

The hide of the elephant is as remarkable as any other part. It is not covered over with hair as in the generality of quadrupeds, but is nearly bare. Here and there indeed, a few bristles are seen growing in the scars and wrinkles of the body, and very thinly scattered over the rest of the skin; but in general the head is dry, rough, and wrinkled, and resembling more the bark of an old tree than the skin of an animal. This grows thicker every year, and by a constant addition of substance, it at length contracts that disorder well known by the name of the elephantiasis or Arabian leprosy; a disease to which man as well as the elephant, is often subject. In order to prevent this, the Indians rub the elephant with oil, and frequently bathe it to preserve its pliancy. To the inconveniences of this disorder is added another, arising from the great sensibility of those parts that are not callous. Upon these the flies settle in great abundance, and torment this animal unceasingly; to remedy which, the elephant tries all its arts; uses not only its tail and trunk in the natural manner to keep them off, but even takes the branch of a tree, or a bundle of hay, to strike them off with. When this fails, it often gathers up the dust with its trunk, and thus covers all the sensible places. In this manner it has been seen to dust itself several times a day, and particularly upon leaving the bath. Water is as necessary to this animal as food itself. When in a state of ever she got one under her belly, to hustle it with all four legs-kicking it in such a manner as rarely failed to deprive it of the means of escape."

LOVE OF WATER - Notwithstanding the massiveness of his frame, the elephant is not without a certain degree of lightness in his motions. He has a tolerably quick trot, and easily overtakes a man at full speed; hut as he cannot turn rapidly, one may escape by turning suddenly to one side. Being spe cifically lighter than water, he easily swims; and his motions in that element are of the most free and lively description. Every one who enjoyed the sight of the elephant sporting in his bath at the Zoological Gardens during the summer of last year must acknow ledge the gratification and surprise excited by the ease and variety of his actions. Notwithstanding, however, the liberal space allowed for his paddock and pond, our sagacious animal seemed not contented until he had rendered his domain still more analogous to the favourite haunts of his species in their native clime. This he effected by forming a miniature swamp in the immediate proximity of his pond, pumping up with his proboscis repeated quantities of water, and treading it into the soil, which thus was soon converted into a mud bath of a few feet in depth. In

this he seemed peculiarly delighted, rubbing and rolling himself about, and expressing his gratification at the same time by uttering peculiar shrill guttural notes, and flapping his ears. In a state of nature this species prefers the banks of rivers, for heat as well as cold annoys him. He is under a constant necessity of moistening his hard and rough skin, which otherwise is so apt to be excoriated; and he not only waters it, but throws over it dust, grass, straw, &c.

Although this integument is so thick, it appears nevertheless to be extremely sensible, especially about the face, the legs, and the under part of the neck and body. We have sometimes seen the young elephant above mentioned, in the Society's menagerie, take a small branch in his trunk, and switch away the flies the moment they alighted on any of those parts.-ZOOLOGICAL MAGAZINE.

Son DISEASES.-A removal from their native soil and climate is highly dangerous to elephants, subjecting them to a variety of acute diseases, the ophthalmia in particular. Elephants are natives of a cool soil, indeed of a wet one, and in their native state feed on watery aliments, and take great delight in ranging among swamps. The fect of the elephant are from its birth habituated to a

soft moist verdure.

nature, the elephant rarely quits the banks of the river, and often stands in water up to the belly. In a state of servitude, the Indians take equal care to provide a proper supply; they wash it with great address; they give it all the conveniences for lending assistance to itself; they smooth the skin with a pumice stone, and then rub it over with oils, essences, and odours.

It is not to be wondered at that an animal furnished with so many varions advantages, both of strength, sagacity, and obedience, should be taken into the service of man. We accordingly find that the elephant, from time immemorial, has been employed either for the purposes of labour, of war, or of ostentation; to increase the grandeur of eastern princes, or to extend their dominions. We have hitherto been describing this animal in its natural state; we now come to consider it in a different view, as taken from the forest and reduced to human obedience. We are now to behold this brave harmless creature as learning a lesson from mankind, and instructed by him in all the arts of war, massacre, and devastation. We are now to behold this half reasoning animal led into the field of battle, and wondering at those tumults and that madness which he is compelled to increase. The elephant is a native of Africa and Asia, being found neither in Europe nor America. In Africa he still retains his natural liberty. The savage inhabitants of that part of the world, instead of attempting to subdue this powerful creature to their necessities, are happy in being able to protect themselves from his fury. Formerly, indeed, during the splendour of the Carthaginian empire, elephants were used in their wars; but this was only a transitory gleam of human power in that part of the globe; the natives of Africa have long since degenerated, and the elephant is only known among them from his devastations. However, there are no elephants in the northern parts of Africa at present, there being none found on this side of Mount Atlas. It is beyond the river Senegal that they are to be met with in great numbers, and so down to the Cape of Good Hope, as well as in the heart of the country. In this extensive region they appear to be more numerous than in any other part of the world. But although these animals are most plentiful in Africa, it is only in Asia that the greatest elephants are found, and rendered subservient to human command.* In Africa, the largest do not exceed ten feet high; in Asia they are found from ten to fifteen. Their price increases in proportion to their size; and when they exceed a certain bulk, like jewels, their value then rises as the fancy is pleased to estimate. The largest are entirely kept for the service of princes; and are maintained with the utmost magnificence and at the greatest

expense.

As the art of war is but very little improved in Asia, there are few princes of the East who do not procure and maintain as many elephants as they are able, and place great confidence on their assistance in an engagement. For this purpose, they are obliged to take them wild in their native forests; and tame them; for the elephant never breeds in a state of servitude. It is one of the most striking peculiarities in this extraordinary creature, that his generative powers totally fail when he comes under the dominion of man; as if he seemed unwilling to propagate a race of slaves to increase the pride of his conqueror. There is, perhaps, no other quadruped that will not breed in its own native climate, if indulged with a moderate share of freedom; and we know, that many of them will copulate in every climate. The elephant alone has never been seen to breed ; (g) and though he has been reduced under the obedience

* AFRICAN ELEPHANT.-Since 1681 no African elephant has been seen in Europe, until the young female figured by M. Cuvier, which is now alive in Paris, having been sent as a present by the Pacha of Egypt. Its

habits, so far as those of a very young animal can be relied on, exhibit none of the ferocity usually ascribed to it, and are, indeed, fully as mild, intelligent, and tractable as those of the elephant of Asia.-ARCANA OF SCIENCE, 1828.

(g) Multis persuasum est Elephantem non brutorum sed hominum more coire. Quod retro mingit non dubitatur. Sed ipse vidi marem hujusce speciei, in nostri regis stabulis super fæmellam itidem inclusam quadrupedum more silientem, pene paululum incurvato, sed sufficienter recto.

of man for ages, the duration of pregnancy in the female still remains a

The Indian princes having vainly endeavoured to multiply the breed of elephants, like that of other animals, have been, at last, content to separate the males from the females, to prevent those accesses of desire, which debilitated, without multiplying the species. In order to take them wild in the woods, a spot of ground is fixed upon, which is surrounded with a strong pallisade. This is made of the thickest and the strongest trees; and strengthened by cross bars which give firmness to the whole. The posts are fixed at such distances from each other, that a man can easily pass between them; there being only one great passage left open, through which an elephant can easily come; and which is so contrived as to shut behind, as soon as the beast is entered. To draw him into this inclosure, it is necessary first to find him out in the woods; and a female elephant is conducted along into the heart of the forest, where it is obliged by its keeper to cry out for the male.† The male

very readily answers the cry, and hastens to join her; which the keeper perceiving, obliges her to retreat, still repeating the same cry, until she leads the animal into the inclosure already described, which shuts the moment he is entered. Still, however, the female proceeds calling, and inviting, while the male proceeds forward in the inclosure, which grows narrower all the way, and until the poor animal finds himself completely shut up, without the power of either advancing or retreating; the female, in the mean time, being let out by a private way, which she has been previously accustomed to. The wild elephant, upon seeing himself entraped in this manner, instantly attempts to use violence; and, upon seeing the hunters, all his former desires only turn to fury. In the mean time, the hunters, having fixed him with cords, attempt to soften his indignation, by throwing buckets of water upon him in great quantities, rubbing the body with leaves, and pouring oil down his ears. Soon after, two tame elephants are brought, a male and a female, that caress the indignant animal with their trunks; while they still continue pouring water to