442 THE RHINOCEROS 



coarse bristles at the extremity of the tail, and the upper end 

 of the ears, is comparatively smooth in the African species, but 

 extremely rough in the Asiatic, hanging in large folds about the 

 animal like a mantle ; so that, summing up all these characters, 

 the rhinoceros has no reason to complain of injustice, if we style it 

 the very incarnation of ugliness. From the snout to the tip uf 

 the tail, the African rhinoceros attains a length of from 15 to .1 6 

 feet, a girth of from 10 to 12, a weight of from 4,000 to 5,000 

 pounds; but in spite of its ponderous and clumsy proportions, 

 it is able to speed like lightning, particularly when pursued. 

 It then seeks the nearest wood, and dashes with all its might 

 through the thicket. The trees that are dead or dry are 

 broken dowii as with a cannon shot, and fall behind it and on 

 its sides in all directions ; others that are more pliable, greener, 

 or full of sap are bent back by its weight and the velocity of its 

 motions, and restore themselves like a green branch to their 

 natural position, after the huge animal has passed. They often 

 sweep the incautious pursuer and his horse from the ground, 

 and dash them in pieces against the surrounding trees. 



The rhinoceros is endowed with an extraordinary acuteness of 

 smell and hearing ; he listens with attention to the sounds of 

 the desert, and is able to scent from a great distance the approach 

 of man ; but as the range of his small and deep-set eyes is im- 

 peded by his unwieldy horns, he can only see what is immediately 

 before him, so that if one be to leeward of him, it is not difficult 

 to approach within a few paces. The Kobaaba, however, from 

 its horn being projected downwards, so as not to obstruct the line 

 of vision, is able to be much more wary than the other species. 



To make up for the imperfection of its sight, the rhinoceros 

 is frequently accompanied by a bird (Buphaga africana) which 

 seems to be attached to it like the domestic dog to man, and 

 warns the beast of approaching danger by its cry. It is called 

 " Kala," by the Bechuanas, and when these people address a 

 superior, they call him " my rhinoceros " by way of compliment, 

 as if they were the birds ready to do him service. 



The African Buffalo possesses a similar guardian in the 

 Textor erythro'i'ynclms. When the beast is quietly feeding, the 

 bird may be seen hopping on the ground, picking up food, or 

 sitting on its back, and ridding it of the insects with which its 

 skin is sometimes infested. The sight of the bird being much 



