Evening journal., 1897-01-09
ELEPHANT STORIES.
THEY GO TO SHOW THAT THE GREAT
BEASTS CAN REASON.

noyance.
In my opinion the elephant is the
most intelligent of all animals He |
thinks for himself, and no matter in
what position he may be placed OF
what emergencies he may be called MP
on to meet, he seems to be endowed
with enough common sense to be equal
to all occasions. He has also a strong
sense Of humor, which at times is SO
marked as to be almost human.
This sense Of the humorous was un-
usually well developed in an elephant ]
knew in tine Jardin des Plantes i'll Par
is. He was kept in great Enclosure out
in the open air, so that he had plenty
Of room to roam about. IN the same in
closure was very large hippopotamus,
for whose comfort and amusement a
great stone basin had been built and
filled with water and the hippopOtamus
in turn furnished amusement for the
elephant 1t was quite early one morn
ing-before the hour for admitting the
public TO the garden-when l noticed
the elephant walking around on the
stonc edge cf the basin, curiously watch
ing the hippopotamus.
/ felt quite sure that the elephant was
up to some prank, and Twas not mistak-
en-; for, just as soon as the ears of the
hippopotamus came into view, the ele-
| phant quickly seized one of them with
his trunk and gave it sudden pull.
The enraged hippopotamus lifted his
| ponderous head clear of the water and
] 4 t,..A t,a
rose to take breath the elephant would
recommence his antics. Around and
around the beast would 60, keeping a
sharp lookout for the little ears Of the
/ hippopotamus, which he would seize the
moment they appeared. His evident de-
light in teasing his huge neighbor was
very comical, and there could be no
doubt that he thoroughly enjoyed it.
Again one day the keeper placed
some food for the hippopotamus in a
corner Of the inclosure, and at once the
hippopotamus began to leave the water
to get it, but the elephant slowly am
bled over to the same corner, and arriv-
ing there first he placed his four feet
over the favorite food in such way that
the hippopotamus could not get at it,
gently swaycd his trunk back and forth
and acted altogether as though he were
thore quite accidentally, until the gar
den was thrown open to tho public and
he went forward to receive the daily
contributions of bread. cake, pie, ETC.,
which wore always offered hi.a - his
hosts Of admirers.
Elephants appear to take much enjoy
ment in life and exhibit a good natured
spirit even while at work In the ami
mails quarters at Bridgeport. some time
. ago, two little elephants showed evil
dent pleasure in the tasks that were set
for them. Even in their stable, when
no trainer was about, one little elephant
would stand on its head just it was
used to doing in the circus and the other
would look anxiously on until its own
turn came to stand on its head and be
admired by the other
In his native cline. during the hot
hours Of the day, the elephant usually
seeks the friendly shade of grove OF
trees so as to shield himself from the
! burning rays of the sun. Some timo age
in Central park tho elephants IN sum
mer were kept in an open inclosur'
+ where there were no trees or shade o.
J. any kind, and during the hot days
{ when tho mercury was well up in th'
/ nincties, the heat was almost unbear
: able. Intently watching the elephant
, there were always many persons carry
4 ing sunshades or umbrellas TO protec
/. themselves from the sum- S rays
q wonder how many of these oulook
It ers realized that the elephants wer
e carrying sunshades too, for such wa
l. really the case. On the very hot day
}, > the great quadrupeds would take th
= hay that was given them, or, when the
|. could get it the newly mown grass, an
!. completely thatch thoir backs with
E. 10 shield themselves from the sun. The
will sometimes do this same thing j
fly time to protect themselves from be
&c Ing bitten, for. strange as it may seem
u the elephants skin is very sensitive.
= in Africa there grows n tree calle
9 the heglik tree, which bears fru'
m known by the name of lolobes. Now tn
tc elephant is very fond Of lolobes but til
ii fruit grows so high up as to be quiz
5, out of the animals reach. OF cours
t. that does not deter the elephant froi
l' trying TO get it. True, no cannot elm
n' a tree, but he has big bump of ing
- nuity and we may rest assured that
gets the fruit by some means or other.
Sir Samuel Baker, the great Africa
,h traveller, was fortunate enough one da
OF to see an elephant in the very act Of ge
e ting the fruit The elephant would +
tire q short distance from the tree an
then rush at the trunk at full spec
striking his head against it with sue
n force as to make the tree tremble
ei every limb and so shake down the frui
vo repeating the charge again and aga
until enough lolobes had fallen to sati
as ~ his appetite. Our Animal Friend
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