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Show 1902.] BIRTH OF AN ELEPHANT. 321 that he examined the mother before she reached the Society's Gardens, and noticed some swelling of the breasts, but no other signs of approaching maternity. During the stay of the animal in the Gardens no further increase of size in the mammae was observable; and, as there was no apparent increase of bulk in the abdominal region, the idea of pregnancy was abandoned. Dr. Thomas Stevens, of Guy's Hospital, was so good as to examine the animal; but he was unable to detect any obvious signs of pregnancy. However, 011 Sunday morning, the 31st of August, the animal produced a calf, the exact circumstances concerning the birth of which I subjoin from Mr. Thomson's report upon the matter:- " On my arrival at the Elephant-house about 9.15 I stopped to look at the Elephant. I could see at once by the way she was walking about the den, sometimes forward and sometimes backward, and every now and then stooping with her hind legs and Text-fig. 60. Newly-born dead Indian Elephant, ^ . (From a photograph bj' Mr. W . P. Dando, F.Z.S.) straining very much, that a young Elephant would soon be born. The keepers had all gone (as is usual on Sunday mornings), and I left the house to seek assistance and to send for the keepers. On my return about 9.45 a .m . the young Elephant had been born, and was lying dead in the middle of the den. I had the mother chained up, and then with the greatest care removed the dead animal, with the placenta, just as I found it, to the dead-house. The mother was very quiet, and did not in any way P roc, Z ool. S oc.- 1902, Y o l . II. No. X X I. 21 |