136 LETTER XX IV. 



the elephant, it is formidable to ferocious animals, but 

 perfectly inoffensive to those that offer it no injury 

 and give no provocation. 



The body and limbs of this animal are covered 

 with a skin so hard and impenetrable, that it will turn 

 the edge of the sharpest scymetar, and (except on the 

 belly) will resist the force of a musket-ball. This 

 skin, which is of a blackish colour, forms itself into 

 divers folds by which the motions of the animal are 



' facilitated. 



The body, thighs, legs, and feet, are every where 

 covered with tuberosi.ties, or knots, which some wri- 

 ters have denominated scales; but they are mere in- 

 durations of the skin, which in the creases between 

 the folds is not only penetrable, but quite soft and of 

 a light fiesh-colour. The belly of this animal is large, 



-and its legs short, massy, and strong: its upper lip is 

 long, capable of great extension, and, like the probos- 

 cis of the elephant, serves to Jay hold of any thing 

 that it would convey to its mouth. 



The strength of the rhinoceros is the most conspi- 

 cuous advantage conferred on it by nature. It seems 

 rather to partake of the stupidity of the hog, than of 

 the sagacity of the elephant, and, without being fe- 

 rocious, or even carnivorous, is totally untractable. 

 It is a solitary animal, loves moist and marshy 

 grounds, especially near the banks of riveifs; and r 

 like the "hog, delights to wallow in the mire. It seems 

 to be subject to sudden paroxysms of madness, which 

 are fiouieti-mes .attended with fatal effects. A rhino- 

 ceros, which Kintuiuf 1 !, kin^ of Portugal, sent as .a 

 present to the Pope A. D. 1M3, destroyed the ves .:.<. I 

 iu which it was embarked ; and some years ago.an- 

 ; r winch had been exhibited at Paris, was drown- 

 td in a similar manner in its passage to Italy. 



The food of the rhinoceros is wholly of the vegeta- 

 ble kind : it seein.s to prefer the grossest herbs to the 

 iuost delicate pasturage; 'but yet it is very fond of the 

 . :ir-c;uie, and of a! I .kinds of grain. The hearing of 

 the animal is very acute, and iObu'ns \vith attention 



to any 



LiiM,! i:> >Ul y CrMM-SyJ ^ff*- 1 H-|*-ioi< iio >KLIA .*, ix v. i i i V^^A 



kind of noise j but from the peculiar construe- 



