THE RHINOCEROS. 



23 





7. — Indian Rhinoceros. 



favourite plant, or, in playful wantonness, to plough up 

 the ground with his horn, throwing the mud and stones 

 behind him. The jungle yields before his weight and 

 strength, and his track is said to be often marked by a 

 line of devastation. When roused the rhinoceros is 

 a most formidable antagonist, and such is the keenness 

 of his senses of smell and of hearing, that, unless by- 

 very cautiously approaching him against the direction of 

 the wind, it is almost impossible to take him by surprise. 

 On the appearance of danger the rhinoceros generally 

 retreats to his covert in the tangled and almost impene- 

 trable jungle, but not always, and instances are on record in 

 which, snuffing up the air and throwing his head violently 

 about, he has rushed with fury to the attack, without 

 waiting for the assault. There are, in fact, seasons in 

 which the rhinoceros is very dangerous, and attacks 

 every animal with impetuosity that attracts his notice or 

 ventures near his haunts, even the elephant himself. , 



