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attack the Elephant, whose proboscis he can lay 

 hold of, than the Rhinoceros, which he cannot face 

 without danger of having his bowels torn out by the 

 defensive weapon of his adversary. The body and 

 limbs of the Rhinoceros are covered with a skin so 

 hard and impenetrable, that he fears neither the claws 

 of the Tiger, nor the trunk of the Elephant. It is 

 said to turn the edge of a scymetar, and to resist 

 even the force of a musket-ball. The upper lip of 

 the Rhinoceros is capable of great extension, and 

 is so pliable, that the animal 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, or carniverous, 

 is totally untractable and rude: it seems at times to 

 be subject to paroxysms of fury. The one which 

 the King of Portugal sent to the Pope, in the year 

 1513, destroyed the vessel which transported it. 

 Like the hog, the Rhinoceros wallows in the mire, is 

 a solitary animal, and delights to rove near the banks 

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

 other countries of the East, where it feeds on the 

 grossest herbs, preferring thistles and shrubs to the 

 finest of pasturage. The female produces but one at 

 a time, which during the first month exceeds not the 

 size of a large dog : at the age of two years, tlu^ 

 horn is not more than an inch long ; at six years old, 

 it is ten inches long, and grows to the length of 

 three feet. — Frorii the peculiar construction of his 

 eyes, the Rhinoceros can only see what is imme- 

 diately before him. When he pursues any object, 

 he proceeds always in a direct line, overturning any 

 thing in his way. His sense of smelling is so acute., 

 that his pursuers are obliged to avoid being to wind- 

 ward of him : they follow him at a distance, and 

 watch till he lies down to sleep ; they then approach 



