Abstract
HI observations are reported for a total of 53 IRAS elliptical galaxies. Nearby confusing sources may be responsible for some of the 33 detections. There are 24 isolated detected galaxies, which can be split into two groups, one having the same M(HI)/L(B) ratio as the elliptical galaxies from the RSA (M(HI)/L(B) = 0.030 +/- 0.026). A second group is more than six times richer in HI (M(HI)/L(B) = 0.206 +/- 0.105). The ''HI-rich'' galaxies have blue colors like spiral galaxies and have a tendency towards higher average dust temperatures. The large number of elliptical galaxies in compact groups (in this sample) suggests that gravitational interactions and mergers may be an important source of interstellar matter for elliptical galaxies.