12 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



from the other. The Indian species is a big, heavy animal which 

 bears a thick plated coat of mail, and the Hairy-Eared species is 

 much less distinguished in this way, and is a variety of the 

 Sumatran Rhinoceros. In Mr. Walter Rothschild's well-known 

 collection at Tring I have also seen the famous so-called " White " 

 Rhinoceros, which is characterized by its square mouth. It is also 

 known as the Mochuco, or Burchell's Rhinoceros. 



This is a really magnificent specimen and was the first to reach 

 England, the animal having been shot for Mr. Rothschild by Mr. 

 Coryndon. In former days the species inhabited the South African 

 steppes in great numbers, but it is now confined to British East 

 Africa and the Eastern Soudan. 



Whilst the Hippopotamus belongs to the even-toed Ungulates, 

 the Rhinoceros owns alliance with the odd-toed set of Ungulates, 

 having three digits on the fore and hind limbs, each ending in a 

 strong hoof. The central digit is much longer and stronger than 

 the remaining ones, and corresponds to the middle finger or third 

 toe of Man, and to the well-known single digit of the Horse. 



Four kinds of Rhinoceroses may be mentioned, namely, the 

 three Asiatic species known as the Indian, Sumatran and Javan, 

 and the African. The Indian and Javan species have only one 

 horn, whereas the Sumatran and the Common African species have 

 two, one situated behind the other. 



The Asiatic Rhinoceroses are noted for their large erect ears, 

 the massive folds of skin which give the body the appearance of 

 armoured plates, and the horn, or horns, which, it is interesting 

 to note, are composed of stout hairs firmly matted together. 



As mentioned earlier in this chapter, fossil remains of these 

 animals have been discovered in England, and, like the Hippo- 

 potamus already dealt with, in former days species of Rhinoceros 

 were to be reckoned in our own fauna. 



Hog-like, of sulky temperament, possessing a large body and 

 small eyes, short, stout legs and a tremendous head, such, shortly 

 stated, is a description of the animal giant with whom we are 

 now concerned. As with the Hippo, it is during the silent night- 

 watches that it awakes from its lethargy, feeding upon vegetable 

 food. 



Although the skin is thick, and when dried becomes exceedingly 

 hard, it is, nevertheless, very sensitive to the touch, and is not 

 nearly so bullet-proof as some people might imagine. When dried 



