RHINOCEROS. 161 



vegetable food.* In temper they are slovenly 

 and inoffensive, but on being irritated, they are 

 furious and revengeful, possessing enormous 

 strength, and exercising a most formidable power 

 with their horn, which renders them no despicable 

 assailant, even to animals the most powerful and 

 active. Their principal horn is sometimes nearly 

 three feet in length, and though a blunt looking 

 instrument, when wielded by an animal of such bulk 

 and strength, is made to force its way through 

 almost any resistance. 



The skins of the Rhinoceri are used for various 

 purposes both in Africa and India ; but in the 

 latter country they seem more pursued as a 

 matter of emolument by the natives, few Euro- 

 pean sportsmen liking to engage them, both from 

 the actual danger, and the great dislike which the 

 Elephants have to face them. Shields are made 

 by the Indians, which will turn a leaden bullet ; 

 and their tallow is used medicinally for which 

 purpose we also find it mentioned in some of the 

 old Pharmacopeias. They are shot by the native 

 sportsmen, Colonel Williamson tells us, with 

 jingals, or heavy guns, containing an iron ball of 

 three ounces weight, and an aim is generally 

 taken at the eye or thorax, or some of the vulnerable 

 parts, where the skin is thinnest, and the part is 



* See our account of that animal, p. 164, extracted from 

 the description of Dr Parsons. 



