With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



all the greater effect upon a European because, in such 

 circumstances, the white of the eyes stands out in the most 

 extraordinary way against the dark skin. 



The rhinoceros slumbers on \\ithout a suspicion of 

 danger. The novice might take it for a white-ant hill, and 

 the powerful horns for broken, dry branches. The colour- 

 ing ot the animal, which has rolled itself several times in 

 the dust of the desert during its journey, is perfectly toned 

 to its environment ; the pointed ears keep shaking off 

 the persistent little flies, and thus betray the fact that the 

 colossal creature is alive. 



The animal is usually tormented by a very small, 

 stinging blow-fly (which probably represents a new genus, 

 most closely related to Lyperosia) discovered by me in 

 the year 1903. 



In the year 1899 I na cl already found the M to- Nairobi 

 rhinoceroses terribly tormented by ox-fly larvae, which, 

 in the form of a hitherto unknown species (Gyrostigma 

 conjungens}* accomplished their metamorphosis to the 

 number of several hundreds in the stomach of the beast 

 they infested. When one remembers that these disgusting 

 parasites grow to an inch and a quarter long and half an 

 inch broad, one can understand how much the rhinoceroses 

 must suffer. 



My rhinoceros has not yet noticed the approaching 

 enemy. I take another look at my rifle ; it has long been 

 loaded and in order ; and nothing has come between the 

 sight. Lit by the oblique rays of the sun, the great wild 

 beast affords me an easy aim ; but it must not be able to 

 reach us for any kind of attack before falling dead, since we 



592 



