APPENDIX. 281 



country where the thorn is dense he seldom need leave the thick bush, as patches of grass occur 

 mingled with the thorn. In other parts, however, he appears to spend much of his time in the 

 open or to live in thornless forest or bush, feeding on leaves and thistle-like plants. 



Range of Sight. — Range of vision of the rhino in all probability does not exceed thirty-five 

 yards. I have often been within this distance of rhinos facing me, and have been convinced that 

 they have not seen me. 



Sense of Hearing. — He is also not very quick at hearing, being considerably below the 

 average game animal in this respect. 



Sense of Smell. — He has, however, an acute sense of smell, though inferior in this respect 

 to the elephant and buffalo. 



Ferocity. — The rhino is undoubtedly a fairly plucky animal, and on occasions gives way to 

 unreasoning iits of rage. I have heard of many instances of rhinos charging objects as various 

 as a train, a tent, a horse, and a hencoop. With reference to the well-known instance of a 

 rhino having charged a train, a friend of mine has called my attention to the disgraceful way the 

 train must have been overcrowded on that day. A first-class coach is only supposed to seat 

 twelve people, but he himself had met nearly twenty men who told him that they had been on 

 that occasion in the carriage that was charged. 



It is very likely that the majority of rhinos which make themselves unpleasant have been at 

 some time wounded, and so have good reason to resent mankind and all that pertains to 

 him. I have never noticed that they make themselves objectionable to game, but if they did so, no 

 doubt the animals could get out of their way easily enough. Neither have I ever heard of their 

 doing any harm to Masai or their cattle, although these people often graze their herds in spots 

 abounding with rhinos. This is noticeably the case just north of Nyeri, where the Masai graze 

 their cattle amongst clumps and patches of thick bush notorious for dangerous rhinos. 



Wherever rhino are common there may be observed numbers of rhino privies to which they 

 go to deposit their droppings. After this action they scratch backwards with their hind 

 legs, generally breaking up the droppings. The only explanation I have ever heard given for 

 this proceeding is that offered by the Wanyamwezi in one of their folk-lore stories. This is, that 

 the elephant becomes angry if he finds a whole dropping belonging to the rhino, as it is so like 

 his own, and so he compels the rhino to break up his. 



Mud Bathing. — The rhino is very fond of mud baths. Tracks leading from these baths will 

 often be found with all leaves, twigs, trees, and branches close to the track plastered thickly with 

 mud. When such a track is met with the direction of the mud-hole can easily be seen, as the 

 mud will be plastered on the sides of trees and branches nearest the bath, for the rhinos, of 

 course, only leave mud on them when coming from the bath. 



Rhinos are generally found either singly or in pairs. A single rhino is generallv a male, 

 while a pair constitute a female and young. When the young has grown up somewhat, a male 

 will often join the pair, but frequently grazes a little apart. So when three are seen together 

 they are generally male, female, and young. 



Unlike the elr|)liant, the rhino calf leaves the mother just before another is born. I have 

 never seen a rhino with two calves. When more than three rhinos are seen together the 

 probability is that two or more parties happen to be grazing in the same spot. 



Rhinos pufT loudly when charging or when running away, and so one is generally warned 

 when they are disturbed. They seldom seem to lie down for any length of time, but stand up 

 every now and again and sniff and turn round, and then lie down again, or move on to another 



O O 



