THE RHINOCEROS. 



THE RHINOCEROS. 



OF this animal there are two varieties, one with a sin- 

 gle, the other with two horns on its snout. Next to the 

 elephant, it is the most powerful of quadrupeds, and the 

 most bulky if we except the hippopotamus. Its length is 

 commonly twelve feet, its height six or seven, and its 

 circumference is nearly equal to its length. 



Except in strength, however, nature has not endowed 

 the Rhinoceros with any qualities that exalt it above the 

 ordinary rank of quadrupeds ; its principal resources consist 

 in its moveable lip, and the offensive weapon on its nose, 

 which is peculiar to the kind. This is indeed a very 

 formidable instrument of annoyance or defence : it is solid 

 throughout, and situated so advantageously, that it protects 

 the whole visage, and enables the animal to assail its foes 

 with irresitible effect. It frequently rips open the belly 

 of its antgonist, and is dreaded by the tiger more than 

 the elephant itself. 



The body and limbs are covered with a blackish skin, so 

 impenetrable as to resist the claws of the most ferocious 

 animals, as well as the spear, and the shot of the hunters. 

 Being incapable of either extension or contraction, it is 

 rolled up in large folds at the neck, the shoulders, and the 

 rump, in order to facilitate the motion of the head and 

 limbs ; which last are massy and furnished with large feet, 

 armed with three toes. 



Without being ferocious or carnivorous, the Rhinoceros 

 is perfectly untractable. He is merely among large, what 

 the common hog is among small animals ; rash, violent, 

 and brutal, without intelligence, sentiment, or docility ; he 

 seems even to be subject to paroxysms of fury, which 

 nothing can mitigate, for one that Emanuel, king of Portugal, 

 sent to the Pope in 1513, destroyed the vessel in which it 

 was transported; and a Rhinoceros, exhibited some years 

 in Paris, was drowned in a similar manner, while on the 

 voyage to Italy. 



The rhinoceros, which was shewn at London in 1739, 

 and described by Doctor Parsons, had been sent from 

 Bengal. Though it was very young, not being above two 

 years old, yet the charge of his carriage and food from 

 India, cost nearly a thousand pounds. It was fed with rice, 

 sugar and hay : it was daily supplied with seven pounds 

 of rice, mixed with three of sugar, divided into three por- 



