Sections of the trunk of the Elephant.

A. Horizontal section, in which we see the small transverse muscles cut: some (a) across; others (b) in their length.

B. Vertical section in length, which has divided the nasal canal of the left side. The small transverse muscles which are seen in their length at b, are cut across at c; other small muscles of the same kind are seen at their length at d. We see in their length, at e, the antagonists of these transverse muscles; that is, the small longitudinal muscles.

C. Vertical section across. The small transverse muscles are seen in their length. They have various directions, not pre cisely radiating from the axis to the circumference, though their course is always across. They are all within the bed of the small longitudinal muscles which the section has divided across. The principal nerves and blood vessels are also shown in thie section; as also the two canals of the trunk,

brane of the canals of the trunk. Perrault consid. ered that all these radiated from the canals to the circumference, and that they diminished the diam. eter of the exterior envelope without diminishing the diameter of the canal. This, however, is not the case: two sets of the muscles have this effect, but the other set certainly lessen the diameter of the canal, although their action can never shut the nostrils. All the transverse muscles are plunged in a cellular tissue, uniformly filled with fat. They are the antagonists of the longitudinal muscles. Cuvier adds, that in their contraction they compel the trunk to elongate entirely or in part; for their separations enable the animal to exercise them exactly within the limits which he desires. In the preceding paragraph, which is also translated from Cuvier, he assigns to the longitudinal muscles the power of shortening or of bending the trunk entirely or in part, and he says that "there is no sort of curve which the animal, by this means, cannot give to this instrument." We must bear in mind the difference between contraction and elongation. When the longitudinal muscles are at rest, the trunk remains extended to its natural length; when they are in use, it is bent or contracted. But there must be another power to elongate the instrument with force and precision after it is wholly or partially contracted. We must discover a mechanism which, without bone or cartilaginous rings, enables the animal "at pleasure to shoot it out, from a foot, upon any sudden occasion, to five feet long, and that with extraordinary force." This power must be found in the transverse muscles. The first object of the transverse muscles, or, rather, of two sets of

them, is to keep the canals open, while the trunk is curved in various ways; for it is evident, if there were no such power, the passages would be shut, as is the case when we attempt to give contrary and sudden flexures to any elastic tube. Their second object is to elongate the trunk, and to assist in the direction of its movements. Being connect. ed with the inner and outer membrane-that is, being attached to the membrane which covers the trunk and that which covers the canal-they can readily diminish the space between the two substances by their contraction. At the same time, it is evident that, when the length of these muscles, from membrane to membrane, is diminished by their contraction, their thickness, which is in the direction of the length of the trunk, must be proportionally augmented; while, on the other hand, the thickness of the longitudinal muscles, which is in the direction of the width of the trunk, is proportionally diminished. From this formation it results that the trunk is more or less elongated, as the transverse muscles are more, and the longitudinal muscles less, employed. The limit to this extension of the trunk is, of course, the relaxation which the longitudinal muscles admit of before they begin to react; and, just in the same manner, the resistance of the transverse ones is the limit to the shortening in length produced by the action of the longitudinal The two classes of muscles are, therefore, called antagonist. The simplest popular view of the matter is to say, that when the trunk is shortened, it is thickened; and when it is lengthened, it is rendered thin: and the only difference between these operations and the production of the same

ones.

F

changes in an elastic tube of Indian rubber, consists in the moving force of the trunk being in the organ itself, and distributed among the almost infinite number of muscles which that organ contains. In this way, the force is multiplied by the action of the will of the animal upon a vast number of points; and although the bellying of a few muscles may scarcely produce any visible motion, the repetition of the same action by many thousand muscles will effect that sudden extension which appeared so wonderful to the Dublin anatomist. The difficulty there may have been in comprehending the peculi. arity of the action of the trunk is not surprising, when we consider that the instrument is altogether constructed upon principles different from common muscular action; and that the power of the mech. anism is balanced by an almost infinite number of these small muscles, not more than the twelfth of an inch each in thickness.

The extent of the command which the animal possesses of his trunk, may be estimated from the fact, which Cuvier has ascertained, that the mus. cles of this organ which have the power of distinct action are not far short of forty thousand. We need not, therefore, be surprised if this instrument be strong enough to tear up a tree, and delicate enough to seize a pin. There is no animal struc ture in the least like the trunk of the elephant; but, though the mechanism is unique, it is altogether complete for its purposes.

The trunk of the elephant is terminated, as is well known, by an extremely flexible prolongation of the muscles, destined to seize whatever the animal de. sires. This may be considered his finger. Op.

posed to this is a sort of thumb, which enables him to hold fast the object which he wishes to take up. Between the finger and thumb are the extremities of the nostrils.

There is some difference in the external appearance of the extremity of the trunk of the male and female elephant. The following cuts are from drawings made by Houel, from the male and female elephants of the Jardin des Plantes:

Extremities of the proboscis. A, of the male; B, of the female. The trunk of the elephant may be first regarded as an instrument for collecting his food. He feeds upon all vegetable substances, from the leaves of trees and the coarsest grass, to the most farinaceous grain and the choicest fruit. Though his enormous bulk, requiring that his provender shall be in large quantity, renders a plentiful supply of the commoner vegetable productions necessary to him, yet his palate is pleased with delicacies. For this reason the strength and the minute touch of his proboscis are equally available in the collection of his daily supplies. If he meet with long herbage, he twists his trunk spirally round the roots and crops them off.