94 THE RHINOCEROS. 



In magnitude, therefore, he makes a near ap- 

 proach to the elephant ; and he appears to be 

 much lcfs, only becaufe his legs are proportion- 

 ally fhorter than thole of the elephant. But he 

 differs ftill more from the elephant in his natu- 

 ral powers and intelligence ; for Nature has be- 

 ftowed on him nothing that elevates him above 

 the ordinary rank of quadrupeds. He is depri- 

 ved of all fenfibility in his ikin; neither has he 

 hands to enable him to improve by the fenfe of 

 touching; and, inftead of a trunk, he has only a 

 moveable lip, to which all his means of dexterity 

 or addrefs is limited. His chief fources of fupe- 

 riority over other animals confifts in his flrength, 

 his magnitude, and the offenlive weapon on his 

 nofe, which is entirely peculiar to him. This 

 weapon is a very hard horn, folic! throughout its 

 whole extent, and fituated more advantageoufly 

 than the horns of ruminating animals, which de- 

 fend only the fuperior parts of the head and neck. 

 But the horn of the rhinoceros preferves from 

 infult the muzzle, the mouth, and the face. For 

 this reafon, the tiger will rather attack the ele- 

 phant, whofe trunk he lays hold of, than the rhi- 

 noceros, whom he dare not face, without run- 

 ning the riik of having his bowels torn out ; for 



the 



of, at Jeaft, eight years of age, which exceeded not five feet in 

 height. Mr Parions faw one of two years, which was not 

 higher than a heifer, which may be computed at about four 

 feet. Kow, then, could the rhinoceros above taken notice of 

 bs caly three years old, if it was feyen feet high ? 



