The tusks of the variety of Indian elephant called Dauntelah project nearly horizontally, and are sometimes almost straight. They are the largest of all Indian ivory, and rarely exceed '72 lb.
in Bengal, and 50 lb. in Tipperah. In the Mooknah breed of India, the tusks are much smaller, are straight, and point directly downwards. Indian ivory has an opaque dead-white colour, and manifests a tendency to become discoloured. The exports of unmanufactured ivory from British India in recent years have been :-5936 lb. in 1874, 8288 lb. in 1875, 12,300 lb. in 1876, 10,731 lb. in 1877, 11,211 lb. in 1878. Their respective values were :-2295/., 3918/., 59471., 5256/., 5665/. ; and the values of the manufactured ivory exported in the same years were :-155/., 212/., 885/., 302/., 42/. Very large numbers of elephants are still found in Ceylon ; their ivory is distinguished by fine grain, small size, and pearly bluish tiut. Siam produces considerable quantitiea of ivory, which is considered much superior to Indian in appearance and density. The search for fossil ivory, probably of the same species as now exists, is said to be very profitable all along the W. side of the Gulf of Siam. The Singapore ivory most resembles that from Ceylon. Pegu and Cochin China afford larger tusks, up to 150 lb.
The ivory of the African elephant is much larger than that of the Indian. The animal itself is also much larger, especially to the south of 20° S. lat. Curiously enough, the nearer the equator is approached from that line, the smaller are the animals, but the larger the tusks. The latter feature may be accounted for by the greater age of the animals in less disturbed districts. The finest transparent ivory is collected principally along the W. coast of Africa, between lats. 10) N. and 10° S., and is believed to deteriorate in quality, and to be more liable to damage, with increase of latitude in either direction. The beat white ivory is chiefly the produce of the E. coast i of Africa generally. African ivory is considered to be in beat condition when, recently cut, it has a mellow, warm, transparent tint, almost as if soaked in oil, and with little appearance of grain or fibre. In this state, it is termed "green" or " traneparent." By exposure, the transparency is reduced, and the remaining delicate white line should be permanent. The quality of W. African ivory varies much. That beat suited to the English market comes from the Camarone coast; Gaboon, Loando, Congo, and Ambriz rank next ; these are followed by Gold Coast ivory, and that shipped at Sierra Leone and Cape Coast Castle. The Gold Coast may generally be known by having a roughly hewn hole near the end of the hollow ; Gambia tusks are usually very bad, always broken, crooked, cracked in the hollows, and more or less damaged. On the E. coast of
Africa, Zanzibar is the principal mart for perhaps the finest and largest ivory in the world. It collects the produce of the lands lying between the parallels of 2° N. lat., and 10° S. lat., and the area extending from the coast to Lake Tanganyika. The merchants at Zanzibar recognize three distinct qualities :—(1) The best, a white, soft and large variety, with small "bamboo," is from the Banadir, Brava, Makdishu and Marka. A somewhat inferior, harder sort is brought from the countries of Chaga, Umasac and Nguru. The Wamasai often spoil their tusks by cutting them, for facility of transport; and, like the people of Nguru, and other tribes, they stain the exterior with smoke, as a supposed preventive against their cracking or splitting in the sun. (2) The second quality is imported from the regions about Lake Nyassa, and carried to Kilwa by the Wabisa, Wahido, Wangindo, Warnakua, and other clans. The " Bisha " ivory formerly found its way to Mozambique. (3) The third and least valued quality is the western variety, the gendai, and others imported from TIsagara, Ujiji, Urori, Unyamwezi, and its neighbourhood—Mgunda Mkhali, Usukuona, Umanda, Usagozi, &c. The ivory of Ujiji is collected from the provinces lying around the northern end of the lake, especially from Urundi and Uvira ; these tusks have one great defect : though white and smooth, when freshly taken from the animal, they put forth, after a time, a sepia-coloured or dark-brown spot, extending like a ring over the surface, and gradually injuring the texture. It is apt to flake off outside, and is little prized on account of its lightness. Burton instances a lot of 47 tusks at Zanzibar averaging 95 lb. each, 80 lb. being considered moderate, and 70-75 lb. poor. Specimens weighing 175 lb. are not uncommon, and even 227-280 lb. is spoken of. At a London sale, Zanzibar tusks averaged 122 lb., Lagoa 114 lb., Cape and Natal 106 lb., Gaboon 91 lb., and Angola 69 lb.; but these figures are not an absolute guide. Large quantities of ivory find an outlet at the Cape and Natal. The former exported 143,682 lb., value 60,402/., in 1875 ; 161,234 lb., 58,626/., in 1876 ; 137,660 lb., 50,7111., iu 1877 ; and 149,701 lb., 50,155/., in 1878. The latter shipped 27,792 lb., 9130/., in 1875 ; 29,172 lb., 11,0481., in 1876; 43,119 lb., 15,014/., in 1877; 37,136 lb., 12,054/., in 1878. Of late years, a considerable quantity of ivory is brought by caravan across the desert to the various porta of N. Africa. Thus, the value of the export from Tripoli was 30,800/. in 1878, and 21,000/. in 1879 ; that from Bengazi, in 1878, was 5000/. (all to England); while those from all Egyptian porta, in 1879, were : to Great Britain, 4400f.; France, 15001.; Italy, 1330/. ; Austria, 530/. ; Turkey, 260/.