42 RHINOCEROSES 



found impossible to transport the skin and skeleton of the cow. In 



1893 Mr. Coryndon, in the same part of the country, was fortunate 

 enough to come upon two bulls, which he shot, and preserved the skins 

 and skeletons of both. One of these specimens is in the British 

 Museum (Natural History), and the other in the Tring Museum. In 

 1895 Mr. Eyre obtained another bull in the same part of Mashona- 

 land, which was bought by Mr. Cecil Rhodes and presented to the 

 South African Museum at Cape Town. 



" Although it was known that a few white rhinoceroses survived in 

 northern Mashonaland, it was generally believed that by 1890 the 

 species had become extinct in every other part of South Africa. In 



1894 a few of these animals were, however, discovered in a corner of 

 Zululand, of which six are said to have been shot during that year. 

 The skin and skeleton of one of these, a bull, are in the Museum at 

 Pretoria. In 1899 a few still survived in one small district of Zulu- 

 land, whilst perhaps a dozen others were scattered over the Mahobo- 

 hobo forests between the Angwa and Manyami rivers in north-eastern 

 Mashonaland. 



" In habits white rhinoceroses are of a rather sluggish disposition, 

 spending the greater part of the day sleeping in some shady place, 

 either standing, or more usually lying down, in which latter position 

 they look like enormous pigs. In the afternoon, as the sun gets low, 

 they wake up and commence to feed towards the water ; and I have 

 so often seen them drinking at sunset, both during the cool season and 

 in the hot weather which precedes the rainy season, that I fancy it was 

 their usual habit to drink before dark, when they had no reason to fear 

 attack. In south-western Africa, where there are few running rivers, 

 all the rhinoceroses, which during the rains were scattered over an 

 enormous area, collected towards the end of the dry season round the 

 few permanent springs, and they probably learned that it was unsafe 

 to drink until after dark. 



" Of all animals, except, perhaps, the elephant, the white rhinoceros 

 was the easiest to approach unobserved, if the wind was favourable, 

 and there were no rhinoceros-birds present to give warning of danger. 

 Apart from any obstruction caused by the position of the horns, his 

 vision was bad ; and I remember to have walked to within 30 or 40 

 yards of white rhinoceroses upon several occasions without attracting 

 their attention, although apparently in full view. They seemed, how- 

 ever, quick of hearing, as the breaking of a small twig or any other 

 slight noise immediately attracted their attention ; and their sense of 

 smell was also acute. When accompanied by rhinoceros-birds, they 



