IVORY. — 33838

violence to come near; that lie on beds of ivory, and stretch
themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of
the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;
that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to them-
selves instruments of music like David; that drink wine in
bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments.”
The pictures of luxury here given, the ornamented couch,
the choice food, the wine, the rich oils for anointing, the
music and the song, may be all met with at the present day
in western Asia, with one exception, that of wine, in countries
professing the faith of Mahommed.

The tusk of the elephant, which is the ivory of commerce,
is nearly straight, or curved upwards; the largest are from five
to eight feet long, and weigh from twenty to eighty pounds
each ; in the female they are very much smaller: the first
tusks of the young elephant drop off when the animal is about
fourteen months old, and soon after, the permanent tusks
appear; they continue growing by a fresh, layer of ivory on
the inner surface, like the horn of an ox, until they have
attained their full size. The tusks of the African elephant
are both larger and of firmer texture than those of the Asiatic
species, so that African ivory is of greater value, as being
capable of a higher polish, and is more abundant in quantity.