HOOK-LIPPED OR BLACK RHINOCEROS 045 



osity. When one rhino comes within ken of another the 

 meeting always betrays bewilderment and incipient defiance 

 on the part of both. Apparently the first suggestion that 

 another rhinoceros is in the neighborhood always arouses 

 suspicion and potential resentment in the bosom of the rhi- 

 noceros to which the suggestion comes. Usually the rhino 

 which has heard, smelt, or dimly seen another trots toward 

 it quickly and then stands motionless for some minutes 

 close to it, in the effort to decide whether to adopt an atti- 

 tude of indifference or hostility — indifference almost always 

 carrying the day. They are silent beasts, but very rarely 

 utter a kind of squeal or squeak, apparently when courting. 

 They utter a shrill and long, often a steam-whistle scream 

 when dying; and they make a succession of puffs or snorts 

 while charging or even when only startled. 



The recognized presence of men rouses in the rhinoceros 

 several emotions, which in the order of their intensity we 

 should put as bewilderment, fear, dull curiosity, and trucu- 

 lence. If the men are merely seen, usually the only emo- 

 tions aroused are bewilderment and curiosity; if smelt, fear 

 is the usual result; but in a certain number of cases even the 

 sight or the smell of men arouses senseless rage. Some 

 rhinos are always cross and evil-tempered; but many others 

 which are normally good-natured now and then have fits of 

 berserker fury. Anything conspicuous which arouses their 

 interest may also arouse their hostility. White has an evil 

 attraction for them. Our friends the McMillans, while 

 travelling through a rhino country, found that the two white 

 horses of their cavalcade were so frequently charged that 

 they finally painted them khaki-color. We have never seen 

 them charge other game, and gazelles and hartebeests feed 



