Sketches of Natural History of Ceylon | Page 4

already been achieved. With equal
terseness and truth Dr. Johnson has observed that the traveller who
would bring back knowledge from any country must carry knowledge
with him at setting out: and I am not without hope that the
demonstration I now venture to offer, of the little that has already been
done for zoology in Ceylon, may serve to inspire others with a desire to
resume and complete the inquiry.
J. EMERSON TENNENT
London: November 1st, 1861.

CONTENTS.
* * * * *

CHAPTER I
.
MAMMALIA.
Neglect of zoology in Ceylon
Labours of Dr. Davy
Followed by Dr. Templeton and others
Dr. Kelaart and Mr. E.L. Layard
Monkeys The Rilawa, Macacus pileatus Wanderoos Knox's account of
them Error regarding the _Silenus Veter (note)_ Presbytes
Cephalopterus Fond of eating flowers A white monkey Method of the
flight of monkeys P. Ursinus in the Hills P. Thersites in the Wanny P.
Priamus, Jaffna and Trincomalie No dead monkey ever found
Loris
Bats Flying Fox, Pteropus Edwardsii Their numbers at Peradenia
Singularity of their attitudes Food and mode of eating Horse-shoe bat,
Rhinolophus Faculty of smell in bat A tiny bat, Scotophilus
foromandelicus Extraordinary parasite of the bat, the Nycteribia
Carnivora.--Bears Their ferocity
Singhalese belief in the efficacy of charms (_note_)
Leopards Erroneously confounded with the Indian cheetah Curious
belief Anecdotes of leopards Their attraction by the smallpox Native
superstition Encounter with a leopard Monkeys killed by leopards

Alleged peculiarity of the claws
Palm-cat
Civet
Dogs Cruel mode of destroying dogs Their republican instincts
Jackal Cunning, anecdotes of The horn of the jackal
Mungoos Its fights with serpents Theory of its antidote
Squirrels Flying squirrel
Tree-rat Story of a rat and a snake
Coffee-rat
Bandicoot
Porcupine
Pengolin Its habits and gentleness Its skeleton
Ruminantia.--The Gaur Oxen Humped cattle Encounter of a cow and a
leopard Draft oxen Their treatment A Tavalam Attempt to introduce the
camel (note) Buffaloes Sporting buffaloes Peculiar structure of the foot
Deer
Meminna
Elk
Wild-boar
Elephants Recent discovery of a new species Geological speculations
as to the island of Ceylon Ancient tradition Opinion of Professor
Ansted Peculiarities in Ceylon mammalia The same in Ceylon birds
and insects Temminck's discovery of a new species of elephant in
Sumatra Points of distinction between it and the elephant of India
Professor Schlegel's description
Cetacea Whales The Dugong Origin of the fable of the mermaid
Credulity of the Portuguese Belief of the Dutch
Testimony of Valentyn
List of Ceylon mammalia

CHAP. II
THE ELEPHANT
* * * * *
Its Structure.
Vast numbers in Ceylon
Derivation of the word "elephant" (note)
Antiquity of the trade in elephants
Numbers now diminishing
Mischief done by them to crops
Ivory scarce in Ceylon
Conjectures as to the absence of tusks
Elephant a harmless animal
Alleged antipathies to other animals
Fights with each other
The foot its chief weapon
Use of the tusks in a wild state doubtful
Anecdote of sagacity in an elephant at Kandy
Difference between African and Indian species
Native ideas of perfection in an elephant
Blotches on the skin

White elephants not unknown in Ceylon
CHAP. III.
THE ELEPHANT
* * * * *
Its Habits.
Water, but not heat, essential to elephants
Sight limited
Smell acute
Caution
Hearing, good
Cries of the elephant
Trumpeting
Booming noise
Height, exaggerated
Facility of stealthy motion
Ancient delusion as to the joints of the leg
Its exposure by Sir Thos. Browne
Its perpetuation by poets and others
Position of the elephant in sleep
An elephant killed on its feet

Mode of lying down
Its gait a shuffle
Power of climbing mountains
Facilitated by the joint of the knee
Mode of descending declivities
A "herd" is a family
Attachment to their young
Suckled indifferently by the females
A "rogue" elephant
Their cunning and vice
Injuries done by them
The leader of a herd a tusker
Bathing and nocturnal gambols, description of a scene by Major
Skinner
Method of swimming
Internal anatomy imperfectly known
Faculty of storing water
Peculiarity of the stomach
The food of the elephant
Sagacity in search of it
Unexplained dread of fences

Its spirit of inquisitiveness
Anecdotes illustrative of its curiosity
Estimate of sagacity
Singular conduct of a herd during thunder
An elephant feigning death
Appendix.--Narratives of natives, as to encounters with rogue elephants
CHAP. IV.
THE ELEPHANT
* * * * *
Elephant Shooting.
Vast numbers shot in Ceylon
Revolting details of elephant killing in Africa
Fatal spots at which to aim
Structure of the bones of the head
Wounds which are certain to kill
Attitudes when surprised
Peculiar movements when reposing
Habits when attacked
Sagacity of native trackers
Courage and agility of the elephants in escape

Worthlessness of the carcass
Singular recovery from a wound
CHAP. V.
THE ELEPHANT.
* * * * *
An Elephant Corral.
Early method of catching elephants
Capture in