Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1893 — An Elephant's Sunshade. [ARTICLE]

An Elephant's Sunshade.

On hot summer days in New York, when the mercury is well up in the nineties, it becomes_almost a necessity to carry an umbrella, or shade of some kind, to protect ourselves from the burning rays of the sun. We should hardly expect, however, a native of India—residing in' this city—to have the same need for a sun-shade, particularly when the native is a huge Indian elephant. That an elephant should feel the heat in our climate seems rather absurd, but as he does, it is quite in keeping with the general intelligence of this animal that he should invent some means of protecting himself from it. The elephant inclosure in Central Park contains no trees nor shade of any kind, and on those hot days when the heat is almost unbearable, it seems hotter there than any place in New York. Grouped around the inclosure are usually scores of persons, many with sunshades and unbrellas, intently watching the elephants. Some of the huge*animals are carefully tossing hay upon their own backs, whilst others, whose backs are almost covered, may be seen peacefully resting. Newly mown grass is what the elephant prefers for this purpose—perhaps because it feels cooler than hay,—but hay answers the purpose very well. How many visitors t(K the park on these warm days have realized that they were not the only ones carrying sunshades, and thas the were protecting kalikatashion! The f&ct tih£#a»phants never attempt to thatch their backs with hay during the winter, although the same ojjportunities tor doing so exist, seems tojprove that thes use the hay as a protection Jrom ‘heat. They may sportively throw i little hay about, but'nothing.iinore. However, in flytime, there are good and sufficient reasons for the animals adopting the same means of "defense again; therefore. when the flies are fierce, the elephants cover their huge backs as on hot summer days.—St. Nicholas.