. Birds and nature . THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. {Elephas indicus.) The Indian Elephant (Elephas indi-cus) inhabits the wooded parts of South-ern Asia from the Himalayas to the In-dian Ocean, and is found throughoutBurmah, Siam and the Malay differs from the African Elephant inhaving much smaller ears, a concave in-stead of convex forehead, smaller tusks,and in the possession of a finger on theend of the proboscis which, workingagainst a tubercle on the lower part of thetrunk, serves many of the purposes ofthe human hand. The proboscis, which is an extensionand enlargement of the ncse an
. Birds and nature . THE INDIAN ELEPHANT. {Elephas indicus.) The Indian Elephant (Elephas indi-cus) inhabits the wooded parts of South-ern Asia from the Himalayas to the In-dian Ocean, and is found throughoutBurmah, Siam and the Malay differs from the African Elephant inhaving much smaller ears, a concave in-stead of convex forehead, smaller tusks,and in the possession of a finger on theend of the proboscis which, workingagainst a tubercle on the lower part of thetrunk, serves many of the purposes ofthe human hand. The proboscis, which is an extensionand enlargement of the ncse and upperlip, is composed of as many as fortythousand interlacing muscles, and iscapable of the most delicate and variedmanipulation. At times it is used to striptwigs and leaves from overhanging trees,or again to uproot bamboo shoots or topluck grass and plants from the ground,carrying all to the ever-grinding jaws be-hind. By sucking it full of water theElephant may give himself a shower bathor squirt water into his
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