The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-07-22

- IR E. RAY LANCASTER. the
well-known English naturalist,
speaking of elephants in re-
cent article in the London Daily
Telegraph, says:
In the novel by that clever
but contradictions writer, Sam Butler,
entitled THE Way Of the Flesh" an
amiable and philosophically minded old
gentleman who pervades the story.
states that when one feels worried or
depressed by the incidents Of ones
daily life. great comfort may be de-
rived from an hour spent at the
geological gardens In company with
the larger mammalia. He ascribes to
them remarkable soothing influence.
and am inclined to agree with him.
am not prepared to decide whether
the effect Is due to the example Of pa
thence under adversely offered by these
animals, or whether 1t Is perhaps their
tranquil Indifference to everything but
food, coupled with their magnificent
success In attaining to such dignity OF
size, which imposes upon me and fills
me for a brief space with resignation
and childlike acquiescence in things
as they are. The elephant stands first
as a soothing influence, and then the
giraffe, the latter having special pow
ers, due to its beautiful eyes and
agreeable perfume. Sometimes the
hippopotamus may diffuse charm of
his own, an aura of rotund obesity,
especially when he is bathing or sleep
ing: but there are moments when one
has to flee from his presence. / never
could get on very well with rhin-
ocerses, but the large deer. bison and
wild cattle have the quality detected
by Mr.. Butler. So has the gorgeous,
well-grown tiger, in full measure,
when he purrs In answer to ones
voice, but the lion is pompous. IT.
ritable and easily upset He never
purrs. He is unpleasantly and OBJ.
scurely spotted He seems to be
afraid OF losing his dignity and to be
conscious of the fact that his reputa,
ton depends on the overpowering wig
which he now wears. though his Mace.
donion forerunner had no such growth
to give an Elusive appearance Of size
and capacity to his head. However
opinions may differ about these things
all will agree that the elephant Tor
'oliphant, as he was called In France
400 years ago) Is the most imposing
fascinating and astonishing Of all AMI
mails.
At the present day there are two
species only of elephant existing or
the earth's surface There are the In
dian (called Elephas Indicus. but
sometimes called Elephas maximus or
account of the priority which belongs
to that designation. although the In
dian elephant ID smaller than the 9th
er) and the African tcalled Elepha,
Africanus). In the wild state theil
, area Of occupation has become great
ly diminished within historic times
The Indian elephant was hunted II
Mesopotamia In the twelfth century
B. c.. and Egyptian drawings Of THU
species brought az tribute BY Syrian
yassals. Today the Indian elephan
is confined to certain forests OF Hin
doostau, Ceylon. Burma and Siam. TIL
African elephant extended 100 year
ago all over South Africa, and In tn
days Of the Carthaginians was foun,
near the Mediterranean shore. wills
in prehistoric Qate pleistocene) time
1t existed In the south Of Spain and Il
Sicily. Now 1t Is confined to the NOR
central and equatorial zone OF Africs
and Is yearly receding before the IN
cursions and destructive attacks Q
civilized man.
At no great distance Of time befor
the historic period. earlier, indeed
than the time OF the herdsmen VIII
used polished stone implements an
raised great stone circles. namely. |
the late pleistocene period, We I'm
that there existed all over Europe an
North Asia and the northern part Z
America another elephant very clos
ly allied to the Indian elephant, BY
having bow-like outward curvatuI
Of the tusks. their tusks finally direc
ed towards one another. and . thic
growth OF coarse hair all over th
body This Is 1.-The mammoth, the r,
mains of which are found In ever
river valley In England, France an
Germany, and OF which whole carcase
are frequently discovered In norther
Siberia. preserved from decay In Ii
frozen river gravels and silt II
ancient cavemen Of France used Il
fresh tusks Of the mammoth killed Q
the spot for their carving sand q
cravings. and from their time 10 TIL
day ivory Of the mammoth has bee
ana remains In constant use. II II e
timated that during the last two cel
naKtae 1T least q hundred nAtrp !.