The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1882-08-19
INCREASE AMONG ELEPHANTS.
popular Science Monthly. ]


The interest which attaches to the
modern representatives of the mammoth
host is by no means limited to the ZOO
logical world, but extends throughout
all classes of society, whs find something
to wonder at even in the huge propor-
tions and ungainly ways of the elephant
family. A remarkably limited family
circle is that which includes the ele.
phant as its typical representatives. The
past history of the race, like that OF not
few other groups OF animals and plants,
is exactly the converse Of its present day
phases, as regards numerical strength at
least. As the existing pearly nautilus
is the sole survivor of the immense hordes
of four-gilled and shell cutie fishes which
swarmed in the primitive seas and oceans
OF our earth, Or as the few living lamp
Shells or Brachiopods, represent in
themselves the fullness of life that
crowded the silurian seas, so the two ex-
isting species of elephants with which
we are familiar to-day stands forth
among quadrupeds as the representatives
of comparatively plentiful past popula.
tion of these mammalian giants. The
causes which have depopulated the earth
of its elephantine tenants may be alluded
to hereafter; but it is evident that
neither size nor strength avails against
the operation of those physical environ
ments which so powerfully affect the
ways which affect the destinies of man
and monad alike. One highly important
feature of elephant organization may,
however, be noted even in these prelim-
mary details respecting the modern
scarcity of elephantine species, namely,
that the slow increase Of the race, and,
as compared with other animals at least
the resulting paucity of numbers, must
have had their own share as conditions
affecting the existence Of those huge ami.
mails. The elephants are, of all known
animals, the slowest to increase in num-
bers. At the earliest, the female ele-
phant does not become a parent until the
age Of thirty years, and only six young
are capable Of being produced during the
parental period, which appears to cease
at ninety years of age; the average dura
tion of elephant life being presumed tt
be about hundred years. But it il
most interesting, as well as important
in view of any speculation on the in
crease of species and on the question o.
competition among the races of anima
life, to reflect that, given favorable con
ditions of existence, such as sufficiency
of food, a freedom from disease and from
the attacks Of enemies, and the elephan
race, slow of increase as it is, woult
come in few thousand years to stool
the entire world with its huge represent
atives. On the data afforded by tn
foregoing details of the age at whic
these animals produce young, and of thei
parental period, it is easy to calculat
that in from seven hundred and forty
seven hundred and fifty years, ninetee
million elephants would remain to repre-
sent natural population. If such
!, contingency awaits slowly increasin
} race, such as the elephants unquestio,
) ably are, the powerful nature of the az
, verse conditions which have ousted the
J kith and kin from place among the lii
J ing quadrupeds can be really conceived