370 RHINOCEROSES DIFFERENT SPECIES. 



twenty defiling past me, though beyond reach. The cause 

 of so unusual a number being seen together was as follows : 

 In the early part of the night, one or two were approaching 

 the water, but, having winded me, they kept walking rest- 

 lessly round the place, grunting and snorting most viciously. 

 This had the effect of putting those who arrived later on 

 guard, and they soon joined company. 



Of all the South African animals, not the least curious, 

 perhaps, is the rhinoceros. He inhabits a large portion of 

 the African continent — such localities, at least, as are suita- 

 ble to his habits. Formerly, as before mentioned, he was 

 common even in the immediate vicinity of Cape-Town ; but, 

 owing to constant persecution, is now rarely met farther to 

 the southward (I speak of the West Coast) than about the 

 twenty-third degi-ee of latitude. In the inferior, however, 

 the tribe is still very numerous. "On one occasion," says 

 Captain Harris, in a private letter, "while walking from the 

 wagons to bring the head of a koodoo that I had killed about 

 a mile off, I encountered twenty-two rhuioceroses, and had 

 to shoot four of them to clear the way." 



The rhinoceros is, moreover, an inhabitant of Bengal, 

 Siam, China, and other countries of Asia ; also of Java, 

 Sumatra, and Ceylon. But the three species* indigenous to 

 this quarter of the globe would seem to be quite different 

 from any yet found in Africa. Almost all the Asiatic species 

 have an exceedingly coarse hide, covered with large folds, not 

 unlike a coat of mail, while that of the African species is 

 comparatively smooth. Two of the Indian rhinoceroses have 

 only one horn, whereas all the African are pro\T[ded with 

 two-t The third Asiatic species, which is found in the isl- 



* Rhinoceros Indicus, Rhinoceros Sondaicus, and Rhinoceros Bicornis 

 Sumatrensis. 



t I have met persons who told me that they have killed rhinoceroses 

 with three horns ; but in all such cases (and they have been but few), 

 the third, or posterior horn is so small as to be scarcely perceptible- 



