Why are the tusks of the elephant teeth, and not horns, as was once supposed?

Because, although ivory, they are formed like other teeth by successive secretions from a pulpy root. The tusk does not adhere to this root, but is held in its socket as a nail is held in a plank, by the elasticity of the parts alone.

Why are the tusks of an elephant an uncertain standard for estimating his size?

Because the tusks grow throughout the life of the animal, and the body does not,

Why are the teeth of the elephant renewed when they are worn out?

Because he may masticate not only a larger quantity of food than other animals, but through a long series of years.--"The teeth of the elephant last a century: if the animal were to grow to double its present size, there is a provision for the continuance of the teeth; but as soon as the growth of the jaw is arrested, the succession of the teeth is arrested also, which fixes the duration of the animal's life.- Sir E. Home. Why does the elephant sleep in a standing position, against a tree?

Because his tusks furnish him with support, and placing them against the tree, he relieves the weight which his head carries, and enjoys a partial repose with tolerable ease.

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Why is the elephant a peaceable animal?

Because he subsists upon vegetable food, and therefore has neither the desire to destroy life, which characterizes the carnivorous animals, nor the means of gratifying such a desire.

Why is the elephant sometimes white?

Because it is an Albino: that is, an animal made white by disease.

Why is the general use of elephants forbidden at and near Calcutta?

Because they might occasion frequent accidents by frightening horses.

Heber.

Why is the white elephant part of the royal train at Ava?

Because the court and people would consider it as peculiarly inauspicious to want one of these animals; and the more there are, the more perfect is the kingly office considered. Craufurd's Travels. Why has the elephant superstitiously been considered a religious animal?

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Because of an exaggerated notion of the animal's sagacity.

Why has the employment of the elephant been discontinued in modern warfare?

Because of his terror of fire-arms, which makes him unmanageable, and destructive of both friends and foes.

Why does the elephant appear more sagacious than he really is?

Because the facial line, or the vertical height of the skull, when compared with its horizontal length, is elevated by causes which have no connexion with the volume of the brain.

Why is the elephant proud of his trappings?

Because he is accustomed to wear them upon pompous ceremonials, where he receives impressions in unison with the parade of the scene.

Why is the elephant employed in hunting the tiger in India?

Because of his delicate scent, his strength to make way through the thickest covers, his sagacity, and especially his great stature, by which the hunter is lifted out of danger.

IIIPPOPOTAMUS.

Why is the ivory tusk of the Hippopotamus preferred for artificial teeth?

Because it does not, from exposure to the air, turn yellow so soon as the ivory of the elephant, and is also at first harder and whiter.

THE RATEL.

Why is the subsistence of the ratel entirely on honey, doubted by naturalists ?

Because its teeth correspond more closely with those of cats than any other quadruped, and exhibit a carnivorous character, scarcely, if at all, inferior to that of hyænas.

Why does the ratel attack bees with impunity? Because of the roughness of its hide. Such is its tenacity of life, that it is a species of amusement for the farmers at the Cape, to run knives through different parts of its body, without being able for a length of time to deprive it of existence.'. Barrow

THE HORSE.

Why is the ear of the horse so interesting a part of his anatomy?

Because it is one of the most beautiful parts about him, and even more intelligible than the eye; and an observer of the horse can tell, by the expressive motion of the ears, almost all that he thinks or means.

Why is it a good sign for a horse to carry one ear forward and the other backward, when on a journey? Because this stretching of the ears in contrary directions, shows that he is attentive to every thing that is taking place around him, and, while he is so doing, he cannot be much fatigued, or likely soon to become so. Few horses sleep without pointing their ears as above, that they may receive notice of the approach of objects in every direction.

'When horses or mules march in company at night, those in front direct their ears forwards; those in the rear direct them backwards; and those in the

centre turn them laterally or across; the whole troop seeming thus to be actuated by one feeling, which watches the general safety. - Arnott.

Why does the eye of the horse point a little forwards from the side of the head?

Because the animal may have a more extended field of vision.

Why does not the loss of one eye enfeeble sight?

Because the other acquires greater energy; though it much contracts the field of vision. It is sail to render the conception erring, and the case of misjudgment of distances is the one commonly brought forward to show this. One-eyed horses, have, however, been found extraordinary leapers.

Why is it a vulgar error to suppose wall-eyed horses not liable to blindness?

Because there is no difference of structure which can produce this exemption; but the wall-eyed horse, from this unseemly appearance, and his frequent want of breeding, may not be exposed to many of the usual causes of inflammation.

Why does the pupil of the eye expand when a horse is brought to the door of the stable ?

Because it may keep out the extra quantity of light, which would be painful to the animal and injurious to vision. When opposed directly to the sun, the pupil, or aperture in the iris, will almost close. Why was the inflammation of the horse's eye formerly called moon-blindness?'

Because of its periodical return, and some supposed influence of the moon; an absurdity which is its own contradiction.

Why are the eyes of horses kept clean?

Because like birds, they have a kind of third eyelid, called the haw, moistened with a pulpy substance or mucilage, to take hold of the dust on the eye-ball, and wipe it clean; so that the eye is hardly ever seen

with any thing on it, though greatly exposed from its size and posture.

Why do horses shy as they grow old?

Because of a decay in their sight; a loss of convexity in the eye, lessening the convergency of the rays, and throwing the perfect image beyond, and not on the retina.

Why are the teeth a criterion of the horse's age?

Because the incisor or front teeth of the horse have a production of enamel in their centre; but the cavity which this forms, containing no cement, is merely filled by the particles of food, &c. As the enamel descends only to a certain extent in the tooth, the teeth disappear at last, from the constant wear of the part in mastication; and this is improperly called the filling up of the teeth. Blumenbach.

Why are the grinders of the horse never perfect? Because the tooth is not finished when it cuts the gum: the lower part of its body is complete, while the upper part is worn away by mastication, and the proper fang is not added till long after. Thus, if the part out of the gum is complete, the rest of the body is imperfect, and there are no fangs: on the contrary, when the fangs are formed, much of the body has been worn away in mastication. - Blumenbach.

Why has the horse the pack-wax, or a strong cord from the back of the head to the bones of the back?

Because the head hangs in a slanting position from the extremity of the neck, and the neck itself projects considerably from the chest; thus the whole weight of the head and neck is suspended from the chest,and very great power is requisite to support them. In addition to the simple weight of the head and neck, the neck projecting from the chest, and the head hanging from the extremity of the neck, act with enormous mechanical force, and require more than a hundred-fold the power necessary to support them.