22 SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF MAMMALIA. 



to the nasal bones which, of all others, is best calculated 

 for sustaining a superincumbent weight or sudden jars ; 

 while the rugosities and depressions tend to the firmer 

 adhesion of the skin, to which the horn is immediately 

 attached. In the two-horned species the posterior horn 

 rests on the os frontis. The nasal horn of the rhinoceros 

 is a solid mass, structurally composed of agglutinated 

 fibres analogous to hair, and much resembling those into 

 which whalebone is so easily separable. 



It has been asserted by some travellers that the horns 

 of the African species are moveable, and that the ani- 

 mal rattles them against each other : this, however, is a 

 mistake — they are firmly fixed. The nostrils are on 

 each side of the uj)per lip ; the tongue is perfectly 

 smooth, contrary to what is alleged by many of the older 

 writers, who describe it to be covered with spines, and 

 capable of lacerating the skin. The senses of smell and 

 hearing are very acute. Dentition variable : canines 

 wanting. In the Indian rhinoceros the formula is as fol- 



4 7 — 7 



lows : — Incisors, — ; molars, - — - = 36. 



The Indian Rhinoceros 



In his native regions leads a tranquil, indolent life : like 

 the elephant, he gives preference to the marshy borders 

 of lakes and rivers, or swampy woods and jungles, de- 

 lighting to roll and wallow in the oozy soil, and plaster 

 his skin with mud. He is also fond of the bath, and 

 swims with ease and vigour. The splendid animal in 

 the gardens of the Zoological Society may be often seen 

 during the hot weather of summer enjoying the bath in 

 the paddock appropriated for his exercise, or rolling 

 and wallowing in the mud, or basking luxuriously, half 

 in, half out, of the w^ater, like a huge hog, uttering every 

 now and then a low grunt of self-complacent satisfac- 

 tion. (Fig. 7.) 



Sluggish in his habitual movements, the rhinoceros 

 wanders through his native plains with a heavy step, 

 carrying his huge head so low that his nose almost touches 

 the ground, and stopping at intervals to crop some 



