by F. Vaughan-Kirby. 233 
to do with it. In the late afternoon they feed their way down to 
their drinking places, which, except in very dry seasons, when only 
one or two water-holes are available, are very seldom visited by the 
same animal on two successive occasions. If the water-holes are in 
narrow stream-beds the animals will wonder up and down such places 
in the damp sand for an hour or more, for no object that the writer 
could ever fathom, but if they drink at one of the large rivers, such 
as the Black or White Mfolozi, they go straight to the water’s edge, 
drink, and move direct back again to the bush. ‘The reason for this 
is obvious, the smaller streams such as the Ugcoye, Nobiya, Mpafa, 
and others run between narrow, steep banks, and the animals can 
wander there at will, completely hidden by the high banks from the 
sight of possible enemies. But in the case of the larger rivers the 
bush seldom comes down to the water’s edge, there being a broad strip 
of open sandy ground between it and the river, upon which, if the 
animal were to loiter, it would be in full view from either side of the 
river if there were any light whatever. 
On one occasion I watched at one of the Ugeoye water-holes upon a 
night when there was a young moon, but the latter had set before a 
rhinoceros came down to drink, and it was then quite dark, and 
although an examination of the spoor in the morning proved that the 
animal had been but twelve yards from me, it was impossible to make 
out any shape whatever, it merely loomed as a dark formless object. 
Seen in good moonlight, it may be mentioned, the white rhinoceros 
appears really white, more so than in strong sunlight. The above- 
mentioned animal drank quietly but very deliberately for, it was 
judged, eight or ten minutes ; and before leaving, the water was heard 
to be violently agitated, though whether by the act of pawing or a 
movement of the head could not be determined. 
After drinking they make off in the direction of their feeding 
grounds which are usually at a great distance, they sometimes indulge 
in a few mouthfuls of food if there is any by the drinking-holes, but 
they then travel straight away, seldom grazing on the way till they 
have covered at least three or four miles. 
White rhinoceroses feed up against the wind, moving slowly, and 
swinging their great heads from side to side as they mow down the 
grass, and where the latter is short the marks where the chin has 
rubbed along are plainly discernible, and occasionally those of the horn. 
As the hours pass on towards daylight, they draw nearer to the 
spot where they intend to lie up for the day, but if the weather is 
warin they seldom feed much after about 9 a.m., when they move to a 
