THE ELEPHANT.

FEW animals have attracted more attention from nankind than the Elephant. Formed, as it were, for the service of man in warm climates, it possesses every attribute that can render it useful. It is strong, active, and persevering; gentle in disposition, social in manners, and so docile and sagacious as to be trained to almost any service. Its form is awkward; the head large, the eyes small, the ears broad and pendant, the body thick; the back much arched; and the legs clumsy and shapeless. The skin is generally of a deep brown, approaching to black. When first born, the animal is about three feet high; it continues to grow till it is sixteen or eighteen years of age, and is said to live to the age of one hundred years and upwards. The tusks are not visible in the young animals, but at full growth they project, in some instances, seven or eight feet. The general height of the Elephant is nine or ten feet, and it has been known to attain to fifteen feet. It feeds on vegetables, the young shoots of trees, grain, and fruit. The intelligence, the strength, and the docility of "the half-reasoning Elephant," have been, from the carliest ages, the surprise and admiration of all who have paid the least attention to these subjects. Volumes might be filled with well-authenticated facts in illustration of these qualities. The wonderful facility with which the elephant can apply his trunk to all the purposes of a hand, is one great reason of his superiority. "Not only," says Buffon," does he possess the power of moving it, but he can bend it, shorten it, lengthen it, bend it back, and turn it in every direction; the extremity of this trunk is furnished with a rim, lengthened in front into the form of a finger, and it is by this means that he is able to perform all that we do with our fingers; he can pick up the smallest piece of money, gather flowers one by one, untie knots, and open and shut doors, turning the keys and forcing back the bolts.

Every being in nature has its real and its relative value; and, to deal justly with the elephant in this regard, we must at least allow him the intelligence of the beaver, the cunning of the ape, and the affection of the dog, and to these we must add his peculiar and singular advantages of strength, size, and duration of life. We must not forget his arms or means of defence, with which he is able to vanquish the lion; we have but to describe him in motion, the earth shakes beneath him; with his trunk he tears up trees; by the pressure of his body he effects a breach in a wall; terrible by his strength, he is even

invincible by the mere resistance of his weight, and the thickness of the skin that covers him. On his back he can carry a tower armed for battle, and containing many men; by his own single exertions, he moves machines, and transports burdens, which six horses would be unable to drag; to this prodigious power he adds, courage, prudence, coolness, and the most perfect obedience; in his anger he never forgets his friends, but only attacks those who have injured him. He remembers acts of kindness as long as

injuries."

To illustrate in some manner the wonderful instinct of this stupendous creature, we have extracted the following anecdote, from Griffiths's edition of CUVIER'S Animal Kingdom. The circumstance occurred at the siege of Bhurtpore, in 1805. "At one of the wells near the camp, from which the army fetched water, two elephant-drivers, each with his elephant, the one remarkably large and strong, the other comparatively small and weak, were at the well together; the small elephant had been provided by its master with a bucket for the occasion, which he carried at the end of his trunk; but the larger animal being destitute of this necessary vessel, either of his own accord, or by desire of his keeper, seized the bucket, and easily wrested it away from his less-powerful fellowservant; the latter was too sensible of his inferiority, openly to resent the insult, though it was obvious that he felt it; but great squabbling and abuse ensued between the keepers: At length the weaker animal, watching the opportunity, when the other was standing with his side to the well, retired backward a few paces, in a quiet unsuspicious manner, and then rushing forward with all his might, drove his head against the side of the other, and fairly pushed him into the well.

"As the surface of the water was nearly twenty feet below the common level, there did not appear to be any means that could be adopted to get the animal out by main force, at least without injuring him.

"There were many feet of water below the elephant, who floated with ease on its surface, and experiencing considerable pleasure from his cool retreat, evinced but little inclination to exert what means he might possess in himself of escape. A vast number of fascines had been employed by the army during the siege; and at length it occurred to the elephantkeeper that a sufficient number of these (which may be compared to bundles of wood) might be lowered into the well to make a pile, which might be raised to

the top, if the animal could be instructed as to the necessary means of laying them in regular succession under his feet; the keeper had to teach the elephant this lesson, which by means of that extraordinary ascendancy these men attain, he was soon enabled to do, and the elephant began quickly to place each fascine as it was lowered to him, successively under him, until in a little time he was enabled to stand upon them; by this time, however, the cunning brute, enjoying the cool pleasure of his situation, after the heat and partial privation of water to which he had been lately exposed, was unwilling to work any longer, and all the threats of his keeper could not induce him to place another fascine. The man then opposed cunning to cunning, and began to caress and praise the elephant, and what he could not effect by threats, he was enabled to do by the repeated promise of plenty of rack. Incited by this, the animal again went to work, and raised himself considerably higher, until, by a partial removal of the masonry at the top of the wall, he was enabled to step out."

WHEN the Marquess of Hastings was Governor General of India, he appointed Mr. Crawfurd Envoy to the Kings of Siam, and Cochin China. This gentleman has published a most interesting account of his mission, from which we extract the following curious picture of one of the entertainments provided for his amusement in Cochin China. It

was an

ELEPHANT AND TIGER FIGHT. THE Tiger was first exhibited in front of the hall, and was driven to the spot on a hurdle. A great con course of people had assembled to witness the exhibition. The tiger was secured to a stake, by a rope fastened round his loins, about thirty yards long. The mouth of the unfortunate animal was sewed up, and his nails pulled out. He was of a large size, and extremely active. No less than fortysix Elephants, all males of great size, were seen drawn out in line. One at a time was brought to attack the Tiger. The first Elephant advanced, to all appearance, with a great show of courage, and we thought, from his determined look, that he would have despatched his antagonist in an instant. At the first effort he, with little apparent difficulty, raised the Tiger on his tusks, and threw him to a distance of at least twenty feet. Notwithstanding, the Tiger rallied, and sprung upon the Elephant's trunk and head, making his way up to the very neck, where the

keeper sat. The Elephant took alarm, wheeled round, and ran off, pursued by the Tiger as far as the rope would permit him. The fugitive, although not hurt, roared most piteously, and no effort could bring him back to the charge. A little after this, we saw a man brought up to the Governor, bound with cords, and dragged into his presence by two officers. This was the conductor of the recreant Elephant; one hundred strokes of the bamboo were ordered to be inflicted on him upon the spot; for which purpose he was thrown on his face upon the ground, and secured by a man sitting astride on his neck and shoulders (a common punishment amongst the Chinese); a succession of executioners inflicted the punishment: when it was over, two men carried off the sufferer by the head and heels, apparently quite insensible. While this outrage was perpetrating, the Governor coolly viewed the combat of the Tiger and Elephant, as if nothing else particular had. been going forward. Ten or twelve Elephants were brought up in succession to attack the Tiger, which was killed at last merely by the astonishing falls he received, when tossed off the tusks of the Elephants. The prodigious strength of the Elephants was far beyond any thing which I could have supposed. Some of them tossed the Tiger to a distance of at least thirty feet, after he was nearly lifeless and could offer no resistance. We could not reflect without horror, that these were the same Elephants which have, for many years, executed the sentence of the law upon the many malefactors condemned to die. Upon these occasions, a single toss, such as I have described, is sufficient to occasion death.

After the Tiger-fight we had a mock battle, the intention of which was to represent elephants charging an entrenchment. A sort of chevaux-de-frise was erected, to the extent of forty or fifty yards, made of very frail materials. Upon this was placed a quantity of very dry grass, while a show was made of defending it by a number of spearmen behind. As soon as the grass was set on fire, a quantity of squibs and crackers were let off, flags were waved in great numbers, drums beat, and a piece of artillery began to play. The elephants were now encouraged to charge; but they displayed their usual timidity, and it was not until the fire was nearly extinguished, and the materials of the chevaux-de-frise almost consumed, that a few of the boldest could be forced to pass through. M A. B.

ANCIENT MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. AMONG the innumerable advantages derived to society from the advance of civilization, none stand more prominent than those arising from the improved view which is taken of the mutual duties and requirements of the marriage state. It is but lately, however, comparatively speaking, that women have been considered in their true and proper character of partners, and have ceased to be regarded in the degrading light of personal property. In ancient times the custom appears almost universally to have prevailed, of purchasing the bride at her father's or friends' hands, without allowing her inclinations to have the least weight in the disposal of her person, and, indeed, in some countries, Turkey and Persia for instance, this custom remains in force to the present day.

It is impossible to ascertain, with any precision, the period at which the custom actually commenced, of purchasing the wife; it is undoubtedly of very ancient date, since it is mentioned in the very earliest records of the world, being frequently alluded to by Moses in the Pentateuch. That it was the practice for some centuries before the time of the Jewish legislator, is evidenced by the voluntary servitude of Jacob to the father of his wives, Leah and Rachel, and by the suit of the Prince of Shalem for Dinah, the sister of the twelve patriarchs, who says, "Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me, but give me the damsel to wife." It appears also, from other passages in the Bible, that there was a Jewish law, which fixed a certain sum as the price to be paid to the parents by the purchaser of their daughter.

The historian, Herodotus, who flourished about 450 years before the Christian era, mentions this custom as having formerly obtained among the inhabitants of Babylon and its dependent villages. His description of the proceedings on such occasions is curious, and somewhat entertaining.

Once a year all the young marriageable women were collected together in a certain, spot, and surrounded by the bachelors of all classes, whose inclinations prompted them to become candidates for the marriage state. An auctioneer then put them up severally for sale, beginning with those of the handsomest and most agreeable person: for these there was always great competition between the most wealthy of the bidders, and thus a considerable sum

of money was collected. When all those of the assembled maidens who had any pretensions to beauty were disposed of, the mode of sale was reversed, and a dowry given with those whose want of personal attraction rendered their disposal a matter of greater difficulty, the sum always varying in proportion to the plainness of the damsel. Thus all the young women were certain of meeting with a partner; for even if there existed any absolute deformity, the irresistible charm of a weighty dower soon obtained for her a husband from among those who, either from avarice or want of taste, were willing to overlook the fleeting advantage of possessing a handsome wife, for the sake of the more substantial benefits which were to be gained by espousing an ugly one. Such was once the custom among the Persians, and some of our fair countrywomen will perhaps be inclined to entertain but a very poor opinion of the old historian's judgment and gallantry, when they are told that it was considered by

him as the most admirable and excellent institution

which he had met with in the history of any nation. That the custom of purchasing the bride was adopted by our Saxon ancestors, is demonstrable |

from some of their laws still preserved: in one of these we find it enacted, "that he who would take a It is also ascertained, by reference to the Salic law, wife, shall give three hundred pence to her parents." to have existed among the French; and though, in some instances, it is by no means clear, whether simple earnest-money, or actual purchase, be intended, yet, in all the ancient rituals, which contain allusion is made to the custom of giving money. the marriage-ceremony in use on the continent, some At struck off in France, expressly for this purpose. one time, coins called "betrothing tokens" were

In our own country, the ancient marriage-ceremony certainly recognised the practice of offering some coin; for we find, in an ancient manuscript of the Salisbury Missal, that the man is enjoined to say, wyth this rynge y the wedde, and thys gold and selvir the geve, and with my bodi y the worshippe, and with all my worldith catel y the honoure;" in the printed copies it is, "with thys ryng I the wedde, and thys gold and silver I the geve, and with al my worldly catel I the endowe;" previously to which the Rubric says, book some silver or gold, and a ring." The ser"let the man put upon the vice-books of York and Hereford have the same expression, and it continued till the time of Edward VI. but was abolished in his second Common Prayer Book. the sixth century, being persuaded in his youth to Leobard, the celebrated Saint of Tours, in marry, gave his betrothed a ring, a kiss, and a pair much to the dishonour of the ladies, as referring to This ceremony has been explained, very the absolute servitude of the party, who, in this instance, was symbolically tied, to use a vulgar, but expressive phrase, "neck and heels."

of shoes.

R. H. F.

THE USEFULNESS OF INSECTS.

-- "Each crawling insect holds a rank
Important in the place of Him who framed
This scale of beings; holds a rank, which lost,
Would break the chain, and leave behind a gap
Which Nature's self would rue."- -STILLING FLEet.

we are,

PEOPLE in general are too apt to look upon insects as being not merely useless, but positively noxious creatures, regarding them in no other light than that of blights, pests, and scourges of the human race. This is a great error; for Nature has made nothing in vain, all her works being designed for some wise end. True it is, that many insects commit considerable depredations in the garden, the orchard, and the field, by devouring our fruit, trees, and vegetables. But even these, which we are accustomed to consider as injurious creatures, no doubt, fulfil, in their turn, some important purpose in the economy of nature; such as, for example, (to mention only one case out of many,) affording a supply of food for birds, as well as for a variety of other animals. It is, therefore, not a little presumptuous, and it savours, too, of impiety, to find fault with the works of the Creator, and to assert confidently that this or that plant or animal is of no use, just because its use may be unknown to us. Ignorant, however, as even the wisest among us, of many of Nature's secrets, and of the designs of Providence, we yet may, in many cases, perceive plainly enough, the important services performed by insects, if only we will be at the pains to attend a little to their habits, and investigate their natural history. There is one little insect, a minute four-winged fly, which may be selected as an apt illustration of the truth of this position. This insect was classed by LINNÆUS in the numerous genus Ichneumon, and distinguished by the appropriate specific name of glomeratus. But modern entomologists have found it necessary to make many subdivisions, and accordingly have changed the name of the fly to Microgaster glomeratus. To some ears these may appear very hard-sounding words; it may not be amiss, therefore, to state, that Microgaster is a name compounded of two Greek words; and it has been applied to the insect in question, in reference to the smallness of the lower part of the body; the term glomeratus has been given, on account of the pupa or chrysalides of the fly being usually found grouped together in clusters.

The most inattentive observer can hardly fail of being acquainted with greenish and black-mottled caterpillars which devour our cabbages, and which change in due time to the large garden white butterflies, so common every where from the month of May to the end of summer. These caterpillars and butterflies would soon increase to an enormous extent, were it not for that "law which causes one thing to prey upon another, in order that nothing may become too abundant." Our Microgaster affords an admirable example of this law, and its natural history is as follows. The female fly deposits her eggs, to the number sometimes of near thirty, or more, within the body of the cabbage-caterpillar, by means of her ovipositor, that is, an instrument, somewhat of the nature of a sting, with which she is supplied for this very purspose. The eggs, when hatched, become grubs, which feed on the internal parts of the caterpillar; but, guided by a wonderful instinct, avoid devouring the vital parts; for, strange to say, the caterpillar continues all the while to eat and grow as usual, and to all appearance just as if nothing had happened to it, until it has arrived at its full size, and the time has come for it to undergo its transformation; but then, instead of changing to a chrysalis, as in the ordinary course it would do, it pro

duces, in lieu of it, a cluster of small oval bodies, of a fine silken texture, and a bright lemon-colour, which are, in fact, the pupa of the Microgaster, and soon change to a number of the winged insects. The flies go forth, and commence the same round of operations on other individuals of the cabbagecaterpillars, and thus brood after brood is produced during the season. Wherever the cabbage-caterpillars abound, and few gardens are free from them, any body, who chooses to be at the trouble of searching, may readily find in the summer, and still more in the autumn, the yellow silken clusters of pupa, already described, sticking against the pales, walls, &c., and, in general, adhering to the shriveled skin or dead remains of the caterpillar, from which they have come forth.

Now, in order to give some idea of the extent to which the destruction of the cabbage-butterfly is effected by the Microgaster, the following experiment may be mentioned. Towards the end of June, a brood of the caterpillars of the large white butterfly, amounting in number to twenty-four, was found feeding in company on the cabbages in a garden; they were placed in confinement, and, being nearly full grown, they soon commenced preparing for their transformations. By the 1st of July, nine out of the twenty-four had turned to the chrysalis state, and the remaining fifteen produced the silken clusters of pupa of this fly; thus, nine caterpillars only out of twentyfour came to maturity, as butterflies, the remaining fifteen (that is nearly two-thirds,) were destroyed by the fly. Now, if the present instance may be taken as a fair average example of what usually occurs, and there seems no reason why it may not, we should have had in that same season, were it not for the ravages committed by the Microgaster, almost two-thirds more of this already very abundant butterfly than we then had. In the course of a few seasons, supposing no other preventive check" to have come into operation, the cabbage-butterflies would increase in a kind of geometrical proportion; our gardens would soon be absolutely devoured and laid waste by the caterpillars, and it would scarcely be possible to walk abroad without being almost smothered by the winged insects. So greatly are we indebted to this apparently contemptible little parasite, (whose operations are unheeded by all but naturalists, and of whose very existence people in general are perhaps scarcely aware,) for keeping down the increase of an insect, which would otherwise become a serious and alarming evil! The large and continuous supply of the Microgaster, which is produced by myriads throughout the summer and autumn, (that is, just so long as its services are required,) is one of those wise and beneficent provisions of the Great Creator, which needs only to be known, in order to excite our admiration.

It may not be out of place here to mention, that most, if not all, Lepidopterous insects, (that is, butterflies and moths,) as well as some others, are subject, more or less, to be preyed upon while in the larva, or caterpillar state, by parasites of a somewhat similar nature to the one above described. And hence, probably, it is, that the name of Ichneumon was, by the older naturalists, originally appropriated to them; they bear a sort of analogy to the little quadruped of the same name; in other words, they perform in one department of nature the same kind of office, by destroying and checking the superabundant increase of insects, that the quadruped does in another, by destroying the crocodiles' eggs and the venomous serpents, &c., which abound in

the hot countries of which it is an inhabitant.-Br