158 PACHYDERM ATA. 



the skin, resting, however, in some degree, on a bony protuber- 

 ance above the nostrils. They take a high polish, and are worth 

 half as much as Elephant's ivory, being much used for sword- 

 handles, drinking-cups, rifle-ramrods, etc. People of fashion at 

 the Cape, have the cups set in silver and gold. The Turks be- 

 lieve these cups will split asunder and fly into pieces, if poison 

 be put into them ! Even the chips and turnings of the horns are 

 carefully preserved, being esteemed of great benefit in convulsions, 

 faintings, and many other illnesses. The Rhinoceros is noctur- 

 nal in his habits, commencing his rambles at dusk, and visiting 

 the pools or fountains between the hours of nine and twelve 

 o'clock at night. Having wandered until sunrise, he spends the 

 day in sleep, under the shelter of some rock or tree. All the 

 beasts dread him the lion avoids him even the elephant, should 

 they meet, retreats, if possible, without hazarding a combat, and 

 he will also fight his own species. His hearing and smell are 

 acute, but his sight is not good. The Rhinoceros is not gregari- 

 ous, but yet of a social turn, and usually goes in pairs; some- 

 times browses and pastures in droves of a dozen. 



The best time to shoot these animals is when they go to the 

 pools to quench their thirst and wallow in the mire, which they 

 always do once in twenty-four hours. Occasionally the Rhi- 

 noceros, like the Elephant, is taken in pitfalls. The mother is 

 affectionate and guards her offspring with tender care. The 

 young also show strong attachment to the mother, clinging to her 

 for days after she has been killed. The general appearance of 

 the African Rhinoceros is that of an immense hog, with the bris- 

 tles off, excepting a tuft at the extremity of the ears and tail ; it 

 has no hair whatever, and is the "very image of ugliness." 

 The full grown male of the common white species, weighs not 

 less than four or five thousand pounds, or as much as three good 

 sized oxen. The Rhinoceros is long lived, attaining, as is 

 thought, the age of one hundred years. Un wieldly as he ap- 

 pears, he is still swift of foot, at least this is true of the black 

 species. Gordon Gumming, in his "Adventures in Africa," 

 says, "that a horse with a rider, can rarely manage to overtake 

 it." The food of this animal consists of vegetables, grasses, 

 shoots of trees, and all kinds of grain ; but it is not a voracious 

 feeder. The statement that the hide of the rhinoceros is " im- 

 penetrable to a bullet," is now regarded as pure myth ; for "a 

 common leaden ball will find its way through the hide with the 

 greatest facility." In consequence of the solid structure of the 

 head, and the great thickness of the hide in that part, and the 

 smallnessof the brain, a shot aimed at the head rarely proves fatal. 



