28o THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



RHINO, BURCHELL'S. 



Habitat. — This animal, so far as is at present known, occurs only in a very limited area of 

 the Lado Enclave. (This is, of course, excepting the few specimens still known to exist south of 

 the Zambezi.) It is found a few miles north of Wadelai (Belgian), and extends from there along 

 the Nile's left bank as far, I believe, as the border of the Soudan. It does not appear to wander 

 far from the river, and I have not observed it or its spoor beyond three days' journey inland 

 from the Nile. I have not heard of a case of the animal having been found on the right bank of 

 the Nile, nor have I heard of a case of a black rhino ever having been found on the left bank of 

 the Nile, at just this part, viz., Wadelai to Lado or Kiro. 



Burchell's rhino differs from the black rhino; firstly, in that it is square-lipped, whereas its 

 congener is prehensile and pointed-lipped. It is also of much greater bulk, possibly weighing 

 half a ton more than the other. It stands perhaps six to eight inches higher at the shoulder, 

 and its head is much more massive. Its horns grow to greater dimensions, and are square 

 instead of rounded at the base. As to colour, it seems perhaps a shade lighter than the 

 other species. 



Rhino seem to vary much in the colour of their skins, and it is often difficult to tell what 

 their real colour is unless the skin is washed. The rhino shown in Chapter X. was certainly a 

 very light-coloured one, and this effect was not entirely produced by white mud. Others I saw 

 were slightly lighter in hue than the average black rhino. Individuals of the latter species, 

 however, are occasionally seen of a much lighter shade than their fellows. 



Burchell's rhino is a grass feeder, whereas the other rhino is chiefly a thorn and bush 

 feeder. As the present habitat of the square-lipped rhino is a long-grass country, it is better 

 fitted to survive than the ill-fated South African variety. 



RHINO, BLACK. 



Native Names. 



Swahili (Mombasa) . . Faru. Kitaita Mbela. 



„ (Zanzibar) . . Kifaru. Ogiek (Ravine) KipkamiL 



,, (Safari) .... Fau. Luganda Enkula. 



Kikuyu Huria. Masai E-mune. 



Kikamba Mbuzya. „ . ( <? Eto. 



Embei Mbuzia, Munyi. ^ ^ "[$ Elebwatit. 



Kavirondo Omuga. Nandi Kisurichet. 



Habitat. — The rhino of East Africa takes naturally to the open plains. As the grass is short 

 and there is but little cover, he is as defenceless and vulnerable as the Burchell's rhino of South 

 Africa used to be. Fortunately for his chances of survival in this country, there are also large 

 tracts of dense thorn in which he is accustomed to wander. Those animals that inhabit this 

 latter country are as dangerous and inaccessible as the rhino of other parts of Africa. 



Food. — The usual diet of the black or bush-dwelling rhino is a mixture of thorn-bush and 

 grass. In parts of Africa where the grass is long, tangled, and matted he is as safe wandering in 

 such grass-country as he is in the bush. In East Africa, however, owing to the shortness of the 

 grass, directly he leaves the bush-country he becomes a conspicuous object. In parts of the 



