140 SAFARI 



When the injured man could talk he told me that he 

 had nearly stepped on the old female. She came for 

 him instantly. He got in two quick shots but they 

 glazed off her horn and thick skull. She kept coming 

 and knocked the gun out of his hands and gored 

 him. 



Saunderson died a few weeks later of pneumonia. 



In one way or another we came to know a good 

 deal about the rhinoceros. The distribution of this 

 animal is rather general over East Africa. We 

 found them both on the plains and in the forests. 

 The latter species have a larger and more tapering 

 horn. Possibly this is the result of the plains 

 animals going to live in the wooded sections where use 

 of their horn against trees is common. 



It is interesting that the difference between the 

 horns of the plains and forest rhinos is said now to be 

 less marked than formerly. Probably the plains 

 animals are taking to cover as a result of the advance 

 of civilization. 



We found young rhinos with their parents at all 

 seasons of the year. The family sticks together until 

 the young one is nearly as large as the adult. 

 Percival tells me that the rhino's reputation for 

 viciousness comes largely from the fact that he 

 tends to doze during the day time. When man dis- 

 turbs him he wakes up half frightened, half angry and 

 full of resentment. 



