THE SEA RHINOCEROS 89 



of Massawa. This is the reason why they prefer Dahlak to 

 Massawa, and why they are found especially on the southern 

 shores at high tide this side of the barrier in three to six feet 

 of water. 



We often studied the castles of madrepore that had fallen 

 down or were in process of doing so, but could not explain 

 the phenomenon. Then one day, I — unfortunately alone — 

 watched a mastodont at work. The rhino was slowly ram- 

 ming the fragile rock with its powerful head and eating the 

 pieces that dropped off. Little wonder that the bump on its 

 brow was as hard as marble !^ 



Of all the animals that we met in the tropical waters of 

 Dahlak the rhinoceros intrigued me most. It is a horror to 

 look at but, poor thing, it can't help that. It is certainly 

 unique in its habits, with that goat face always on the 

 change, its eye lost in the middle of its shoulder, watching and 

 winking like a one-eyed Polyphemus. 



^ On the eve of publication, Francesco Baschieri, who is preparing a 

 paper on the rhinoceros (see Appendix) informs me that he has come to 

 the conclusion that the high brow of this fish is not meant for splintering 

 coral. He has reached this conclusion through biological, ichthyological 

 and osteological observations which he considers founded a priori. 

 Therefore I can only ask why my rhinoceros was hitting its head against 

 the rock. Perhaps it was in despair. 



