CREATURES OF THE WILDERNESS 73 



Mr. Gladstone dancing a breakdown in the 

 Monkey House at the Zoo. 



THE RHINOCEROS 



We know all manner of rhinoceroses best 

 by the horn, or horns, on their snout. There 

 are three different kinds of these animals in 

 Asia and two in Africa, but as this chapter 

 does not pretend to describe every animal, 

 the so-called " great " rhinoceros of Assam, 

 Kooch Behar and Nepal may do duty for the 

 Eastern species. It is a huge, blundering 

 creature, standing about six feet high and 

 carrying on its nose a single pointed horn a 

 foot or more in length. The so-called "horn " 

 of the rhinoceros is absolutely different from 

 those of goats or cattle, being really a growth 

 of hardened skin. It can, in fact, be removed 

 without leaving more than a scar, which 

 rapidly heals, and this actually happens to 

 these animals in captivity, for they occasion- 

 ally rub off their horns against the bars. Both 

 sexes carry this formidable weapon, but, 

 as a matter of fact, the Indian rhinoceros 

 fights only with its teeth, the horn being used 

 only in tearing up roots. So long as they are 

 not molested, these animals are usually in- 

 offensive, and when they have been known to 

 charge without provocation, it has been a case 



