THE RHINOCEROS 265 
their heads, the sides of their necks, and front of their shoulders. 
It is quite evident that they held their heads low throughout 
the encounter on purpose to protect their throats, the softest, 
and perhaps most vulnerable, parts of their bodies. In this 
case, as also in the other fight I witnessed, one beast was 
wounded, and was attacked by an unwounded one. 
I think there can be little doubt that when rhinoceroses 
do fight, it is in a most determined and dogged manner, though 
it is highly improbable that they ever kill each other. I once 
shot a rhino which was terribly scored about the face and 
neck, with several of the abrasions still bleeding. As the grass 
had been quite lately burnt I followed back on its spoor, which 
was very distinct, and came to the spot where it had fought with 
another rhino. The ground for a space of 30 yards showed 
unmistakable signs of the severe and evidently prolonged com- 
bat. It was cut up, and loose stones a foot or more in diameter 
displaced and scattered in all directions: One large boulder, 
some 33 ft. high, near which the encounter seemed to have 
_ been most severe, was smeared and splashed with blood. 
__ Two or three times I have shot rhinoceroses with only one 
ear, the other one most probably having been bitten off in a 
fight. 
The following experience with a rhinoceros has the merit 
of being a curious one, though attended by absolutely no 
danger to myself. 
Having successfully stalked three rhinoceroses—a bull, a cow, 
and a three-parts-grown calf—all standing together, I gave the 
‘bull a shot behind the shoulder, which knocked him down. 
I was so certain he was shot through the lungs, and would not 
. go far, that I did not fire again when he picked himself up and 
galloped off. In this I was mistaken, as he went away across 
the open plain apparently unhurt, the other two going off in 
another direction. As I sat down on an ant-heap, feeling by 
no means pleased with myself, I watched the bull for a long 
_ time, and saw him pull up about two miles off and walk under 
__ the shade of what I took at the distance to be a low bush, 
