Rare Elephant Birth Philadelphia 1880 Story Illus
![Rare Elephant Birth Philadelphia 1880 Story Illus]()
The elephant calf and its mother1880this is a single sheet only, from an issue of scientific american dated april 24, 1880. It is ovre 125 years old! The sheet measures slightly under 11 x 16 icnhes in size. It is in fine condition, with only slight toning from age. The page feature a 7 x 9-inch wood engraving in the center of the page titled the elephant calf and its mother, showing a baby pachaderm beside its mother, whose back legs are chained to stakes in the ground, which a nearby shorthaired white coach dog with spots stares at the baby.
The drawing was done by frank bellew (1828-1888), who was a prominent artist, illustrator and cartoonist, who is noted as the creator of the uncle sam image. His elephant portrait here is a realistic and attractive portrayal of the beast. More than 2/3rds of the rest of the page is devoted to an article on the nesw of birth of the baby elephant. This article is over 100 lines of text long, and says, in partwe present herewith a portrait of the elephant calf, whose birth in philadelphia was noticed a fwe weeks ago.
The event, from its rarity, has naturally awakened considerable scientific interest. It has afforded for the examination of our naturalists a full term placenta, and has also furnished evidence confirming the reports of trustworthy observers touching the period of gestation in the elephant (about twenty and a half months), the mode of suckling by the calf, etc.
It is not at all surprising that this birth should be the first on record here. The calf, of which we give an engraving, is, as previously noted, the offspring of two ceylon elephants said to have been imported by barnum in 1865. From the time fo their landing in this country they have shown a special attachment.
The female is noted for her uniform docility and gentleness, and the father for his beauty of form. Mandrie and all the other elephants belonging to the circus seemed fully aware of the condition of the mother for montsh before her delivery. The birth of the calf was the occasion of much excitement among the other members of the herd, whose trumpeting disturebd the lions and tigers in the adjoining house, causing them to roar in chorus. The watchman fled for his life. Fearing that, in her excitement, she might kill her young one, the men endeavored to take it from her, but at that she seized it with her trunk, and tossed it across the ring, where it fell under a heavy railing surrounding a large stove.
In an instant she had followed it. Finding the railing in her way she struck ti down and tore it into splinters. It is now believed that she had become alarmed by the roaring of the lions and tigers, and was trying to get it ovre to where the other elephants were chained and so secure their protection. After a little time the keepers managed to calm the mother, and she allowed herself to be led back and re-chained, but not for an instant would she permit the little one to go beyond the range of her trunk.
The calf was not at all injurde by her rough usage. The little one suckles frequently, and seems to take great pleasure in walking under the mother's body. In appearance the calf is very much like the mother.
But the eyes seem larger. It also has a thin mat of black hair on the top of its head much resembling that on some human babies. tI has, too, a decidedly infantile expression, remotely suggestive of a suckling pig. When born ti weighed 213 lb. And stood 35 inches high. In its intercourse with human beings it is disposed to be friendly and inquisitive, poking its little trunk into the pockets and up the sleeves of those whom the mother allows to approach it.
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