ently
an oversight, for both in his book and lecture he alludes to _Gunesh_.
The rest of his remarks are so good, and show so much practical
knowledge, that I shall take the liberty of quoting _in extenso_ from
a lecture delivered by him at Simla last year, a printed copy of which
he kindly sent me, and also from his interesting book, 'Thirteen
Years amongst the Wild Beasts.'

He says: "One of the strongest features in the domesticated
elephant's character is its obedience. It may also be readily taught,
as it has a large share of the ordinary cultivable intelligence
common in a greater or less degree to all animals. But its reasoning
faculties are undoubtedly far below those of the dog, and possibly
of other animals; and in matters beyond the range of its daily
experience it evinces no special discernment. Whilst quick at
comprehending anything sought to be taught to it, the elephant is
decidedly wanting in originality."

I think one as often sees instances of decided stupidity on the part
of elephants as of sagacity, but I think the amount of intelligence
varies in individuals. I have known cases where elephants have tried
to get their mahouts off their backs--two cases in my own
district--in the one the elephant tried shaking and then lying down,
both of which proved ineffectual; in the other it tried tearing off
the rafters of a hut and throwing them over its back, and finally
rubbing against low branches of trees, which proved successful. The
second elephant, I think, showed the greatest amount of original
thought; but there is no doubt the sagacity of the animal has been
greatly overrated. I quote again from Mr. Sanderson, whose remarks
are greatly to the point:--

"What an improbable story is that of the elephant and the tailor,
wherein the animal, on being pricked with a needle instead of being
fed with sweetmeats as usual, is represented as having deliberately
gone to a pond, filled its trunk with dirty water, and returned and
squirted it over the tailor and his work! This story accredits the
elephant with appreciating the fact that throwing dirty water over
his work would be the peculiar manner in which to annoy a tailor.
How has he acquired the knowledge of the incongruity of the two things,
dirty water and clean linen? He delights in water himself, and would
therefore be unlikely to imagine it objectionable to another. If the
elephant were possessed of the amount of discernment with which he
is commonly