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SIAM. 287
animal ; in short, similar in all respects to that of the
common elephant, with the exception of the iris, which
was of a pure white colour. In this respect, they
resembled all the quadrupedal albinos that I had
hitherto seen, as those among horses, cows, rabbits.
This circumstance I should scarcely have thought worth
the noticing, were it not that I shall have occasion to
mention in the sequel an instance of an animal of the
albino kind, possessed of the peculiar eye of the human
albino. In one or two of the elephants, the colour
was strictly white, and in all of them, the iris was of
that colour, as well as the margins of the eye-lids; in
the rest, the colour had a cast of pink in it. The hairs
upon the body were for the most part yellowish, but
much more scanty, finer, and shorter than in other
elephants; the strong hairs of the tail were darker,
but still of a yellowish colour. In none did the colour
and texture of the skin appear entirely healthy. In
some, the cuticular texture of the legs was intf rspersed
with glandular knobs, which gave a deformed appearance
to these members. In others, the skin of the
body was uncommonly dry, while the natural wrinkles
were unusually large, secreted an acrid-like fluid, and
seemed ready to burst out into disease. These beasts
were all of small size, but in excellent condition ; and
1 one of them was even handsome. They were treated
with the greatest attention, each having several keepers
attached to him. Fresh-cut grass was placed in abundance
by their side; they stood on a small boarded
platform, kept clean ; a white cloth was spread before
them ; and while we were present, they were fed with
sliced sugar-cane, and bunches of plantains.*
* When the king of Pegu was at the zenith of his power, the
undisputed Lord of the White Elephant, the sacred animals, we are