Volume 1

A cabinet of quadrupeds / consisting of highly-finished engravings, by James Tookey; from drawings by Julius Ibbetson; with historical and scientific descriptions, by John Church.

  • Church, John, d. before 1805.
Date:
1800?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A cabinet of quadrupeds / consisting of highly-finished engravings, by James Tookey; from drawings by Julius Ibbetson; with historical and scientific descriptions, by John Church. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    his trunk was then too narrow to admit of his embracing the part conveniently. It was this kind of fact, perhaps, feen fuperficially, which occationed the error of certain travellers, while others, remarking that the Elephants c[uench their third; by pumping the water through their trunk into their throat, fuppofed it a probable inference, that they fucked after the tame manner; but whatever may have been the caufe, the error is indubitable.” The wild Elephant in India feeds on herbs, fruits, corn, and the tender parts of tlirubs; he is very fond of the bamboo grain (a), and the food given him, when tame, is not very different. By way of regale, he is fometimes fed with dumplins made of wheat flour, boiled rice, or other corn kneaded up with butter and molalfes, to which fome bottles of arrack are added. Like motl herbivorous animals, the Elephant lives in fmall focieties, having a chief always at the head of the herd, which, in cafe of danger, advances firll, and all unite their efforts for their mutual defence. The captivity of the Elephant does not prevent the return of the rutting feafons; the female then appears uneaty, but is gentle and obedient, notwithllanding: but it is not fo with the male, his ardor renders him furious, and he often breaks his chains; when at large, he wanders about with an unequal gait, fometimes flow, fometimes precipitate; all who come in his way a.re liable to experience the etfedls of his fury, and even his cornac, or driver, is not fafe. He would, indeed, do much mifehief, if his fury was not oppofed by men who run before him with long pikes, which they threaten to thrufl in his eyes. The Elephant feems to poffefs many moral qualities, which almofl; bef]3eak a refined kind of inflindt, approaching towards reflexion. He is remarkably fufceptible of gratitude, attachment, pride, emulation, and rancour. He apparently comprehends, in two or three years, every thing his cornac or driver commands him to do; he haflens or flackens his pace, in obedience to (a) The bamboo fomewhat refembles the jointed ftraw of wheat, but on a much larger fcale^ it bears an car containing a grain very like oats, but in colour, fize, and tafte more refembling fmall wheat. It affords fubftantial nourifhment, and the inhabitants of the high chain of mountains, which divides the peninfula, frequently ufe it inltead of rice.
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