INDIAN RHINOCEROS 255 



is the sloping backwards instead of forward of the occipital crest 

 in all two-horned species, whether African or Asiatic. 



The Asiatic Rhinoceroses have, wliat the African animals 

 have not, functional incisor teeth throughout life. It has been 

 proposed on these and other grounds to separate generically the 

 African and Asiatic forms. 



Tlie Asiatic Ehinoceroses include three well -differentiated 

 species, in all of which tlie skin is much thrown into folds. 

 Rh. indicus is the largest form. It is one horned, and has 

 enormous folds of skin at the neck and hansjimr over tlie limbs. 



Fig. 130. — Indian Rhinoceros. Rhinoceros indicus. y- is. 



So like artificial armour is this thick plating, that Albrecht Diirer 

 may be excused for having given the beast the appearance of 

 being actually mail-plated in a sketch which he made of a speci- 

 men sent over to the King of Portugal in 151.''. This particular 

 beast, one of if not the first sent over to Europe, proved so in- 

 tractable in disposition that the king sent it as a present to the 

 Pope. But " in an access of fury it sunk the vessel on its 

 passage " ! The liorn of this and of other species was held until 

 almost our times to have medicinal and other more curious values. 

 80 recently as 1703 it was gravely asserted that a cup made of 

 its horn would ftdl to pieces if poison were poured into it. 

 " When wine is poured therein," wrote I )r. P>rookes in the year 

 referred to, " it will rise, ferment, and seem to boil ; but when 



