23tcttcmarp of 



573 



work ; our figure will show the appearance 

 of this genus. The species represented is 

 often called Neptune's Ruffles, and is the 

 Jietepora cellulosa of naturalists. It is some 

 of the recent species ; there are others found 

 in a fossil state. 



RHEA. [See OSTRICH, AMERICAN.] 

 RHINOCEROS. (Rhinoceros.) This large 

 and uncouth-looking Pachydermatous genus 

 nhabits the hotter regions of Asia and 

 Africa, and, next to the Elephant, contains 

 the most powerful of quadrupeds. The com- 

 mon INDIAN RHINOCEROS (It. unicornis) is 

 usually about twelve feet long from the tip of 

 the nose to the insertion of the tail ; its height 

 is about seven feet ; and the circumference 

 of its body is nearly equal to its length. 

 The back, instead of rising, as in the Ele- 

 phant, sinks in considerably ; the head is 

 moderately large and long ; the upper lip 

 protrudes considerably, and being extremely 

 pliable, answers the end of a small proboscis: 

 but its most distinguishing mark is the pos- 

 session of a solid, slightly curved, sharp- 

 pointed horn, wliich rests on a strong urcb. 



and making its way by sheer force through 

 the jungle. It is naturally of a quiet and 

 inoffensive disposition, but very furious and 

 dangerous when provoked or attacked ; 

 charging with great impetuosity, and tramp- 

 ling down, or ripping up with its horn, any 

 animal which opposes it. The bones of the 

 Rhinoceros, like those of the Elephant, are 

 often found in a fossil state in various parts 

 of the world ; and in the year 1772 an entire 

 Rhinoceros was found buried in the banks 

 of a Siberian river, in the ancient frozen 

 ! soil, with the skin, tendons, and some of 

 1 the flesh, in the highest state of preservation. 



IThe TWO-HORNED RHINOCEROS. (Rhino- 

 ceros bicornis.) This species is found in 

 I various parts of Africa, and seems to have 

 | been the kind known to the ancient Romans, 

 ' and by them exhibited in their public shows 

 and combats of animals. In size it equals 

 the common or single-homed species ; and 

 its habits and manner of feeding are the 

 ' same: but it differs greatly in the appearance 

 j of its skin, which, instead of the vast and 

 regularly marked armour-like folds of the 

 former, has merely a slight wrinkle across 

 the shoulders, and on the hinder parts, with 



(RHINOCEROS UNiooRMts.) 



formed by the nasal bones. This horn is 

 sometimes (but not generally) as much as 

 three feet in length, and eighteen inches in 

 circumference at its base, and is used as a 

 most powerful and effective weapon. The 

 animal is also characterized by having seven 

 molars on each side above and below, with 

 only four incisors, and no canine teeth. The 

 ears are moderately large, upright, and 

 pointed ; the eyes small and half closed. 

 The skin is thick and coarse, with a knotty 

 or granulated surface ; and so impenetrable 

 on the body and limbs, as to resist either 

 the claws of the lion or the tiger, the sword 

 or the shot of the hunter. About the neck 

 the skin is disposed in several large plaits or 

 folds ; another fold passes from the shoul- 

 ders to the fore legs, and another from the 

 hind part of the back to the thighs. The 

 tail is slender, flattened at the end, and co- 

 vered on the sides with very stiff and thick 

 black hairs : the belly is somewhat pendu- 

 lous ; the legs very short, strong, and thick ; 

 and the feet divided into three large hoofs, 

 all standing forwards. In India the Rhino- 

 ceros leads a tranquil indolent life, wallow- 

 ing on the marshy borders of lakes and 

 rivers, and occasionally bathing itself in 

 their waters. Its movements are usually 

 slow ; and it carries its head low, like the 

 Hog, ploughing up the ground with its horn, 



RHINOCEROS. 



a few fainter wrinkles on the sides ; so that, 

 in comparison with the common Rhinoceros, 

 it appears almost smooth : the skin, however, 

 is rough or tuberculated : but what con- 

 stitutes the specific or principal distinction 

 is, that the nose is furnished with two horns, 

 one of which is smaller than the other, and 

 situated higher up ; and that they are fixed 

 to the nose by a strong apparatus of muscles 

 and tendons, so that they are loose when 

 the animal is in a quiescent state, but become 

 firm and immovable when he is enraged. 

 His manner of feeding, with some other par- 

 ticulars, is thus given by Mr. Bruce, the 

 Abyssinian traveller. He informs us, that, 

 " besides the trees capable of most resistance, 

 there are, in the vast forests within the rains, 

 trees of a softer consistence, and of a very 

 succulent quality, which seem to be destined 

 for his principal food. For the purpose of 

 gaining the highest branches of these, his 

 upper lip is capable of being lengthened out 

 so as to increase his power of laying hold 

 with this in the same manner as the Elephant 

 does with his trunk. With this lip, and the 

 assistance of his tongue, he pulls down the 

 upper branches which have most leaves, and 

 these he devours first; having stripped the 

 tree of its branches, he does not therefore 

 abandon it, but, placing his snout as low in 

 the trunk as he finds his horns will enter, 

 he rips up the body of the tree, and reduces 



