the nose is created for every animal that breathes air and that is every animal that has lungs. the human being has a nose that protrudes between his eyes to protect them from what enters the eye from the side of the nose. the beak of a bird takes the place of a nose for him. as for the elephant since it is an animal of very large stature and is very tall it would not have had a neck. if it had a neck it would have needed to be very long so that its head would reach the ground for grazing and the like.
الأنف مخلوق لكل حيوان يتنفس الهواء وذلك كل حيوان له رئة، ويختص الإنسان بأن أنفه بارز من بين عينيه ليكون وقاية لهما مما يرد إلى العين من جهة الأنف ومنقار الطير يقوم له مقام الأنف. وأما الفيل فلما كان حيوانا عظيم الجثة جدا، وكان ارتفاعه كثيرا لم يكن أن يكون له عنق إذ لو كان له عنق لاحتاج أن يكون طويلا جدا ليصل رأسه إلى الأرض لأجل الرعي ونحوه.