HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 177 



The body of the Rhinoceros is long and thick: 

 its belly is large, and hangs near the ground ; its 

 legs are short, round, and very strong; and its 

 hoofs divided into three parts, each pointing for- 

 ward. The head of this animal is large ; its ears 

 long and erect ; and its eyes small, sunk, and with- 

 out vivacity : the upper lip is long, overhangs the 

 lower, and is capable of great extension : it is so 

 pliable, that the Rhinoceros can move it from side 

 to side, twist it round a stick, collect its food, or 

 seize with it any thing it would carry to its mouth. 



The Rhinoceros, without being ferocious, carnivo- 

 rous, or even extremely wild, is, however, totally 

 untractable and rude. It seems to be subject to 

 paroxysms of fury, which nothing can appease. 

 That which Emanuel, king of Portugal, sent to the 

 Pope in the year 1513, destroyed the vessel in 

 which they were transporting it. 



Like the Hog, the Rhinoceros is fond of wallow- 

 ing in the mire. It is a solitary animal, loves moist 

 and marshy grounds, and seldom quits the banks 

 of rivers. It is found in Bengal, Siam, China, and 

 other countries of Asia ; in the isles of Java, 

 Sumatra, Ceylon, &c. ; in Ethiopia, and the country 

 as low as the Cape of Good Hope : but in general, 

 the species is not numerous, and is much less 

 diffused than that of the Elephant. 



The female produces but one at a time, and at 

 considerable intervals. During the first month, the 

 young Rhinoceros exceeds not the size of a large 

 Dog. At the age of two years, the horn is not 

 more than an inch long ; at six years old, it is nine 

 of ten inches long; and grows to the length of 

 three feet and a half, and sometimes four feet. The 

 horn is much esteemed by the natives as an anti- 



VOL. in. z 



