88 ZOOLOGICAL 
SOCIETY 
BULLETIN 
AN AGE-OLD TRAIL 
To the Jeft of the tall tree where the native stands, is one of their wallowing places; an almost daily resort for wandering rhinoceroses. 
seeking their young. Near the crossing in a 
papyrus swamp we came upon the remains of a 
calf that had been overpowered by two leopards, 
and later feasted upon by hyenas. Fortunately 
there was enough left to furnish me a cross 
section of the hind foot. From the photograph 
of this preparation the accompanying drawing 
was made to show its interesting structure. 
To judge by the tracks there had evidently 
been a very short struggle, and the mother, 
usually so devoted to her offspring, had aban- 
doned it. Probably the calf was attacked at 
the very moment it attempted to enter the water. 
The young rhinoceros shows a 
Tae x: great fondness for its mother. 
yung s F Poe 
At her death the awe-inspiring 
whistling noise the calves make is proof of their 
anxiety. In confusion they trot back and forth, 
when 
However, in two cases such or- 
followed were adopted by 
deliberately charge, and return again 
chased away. 
later 
phans and 
other rhinoceroses. 
It is surprising how early the young are 
weaned. When six weeks old they are practi- 
cally independent of their mother for nourish- 
ment, as we could plainly see by their deposits 
of digested food. 
Reproduction is also unexpectedly 
rapid, though but one young is 
born at a time. Often troops of 
five included, besides the adults, a calf, a three- 
quarter grown and another still youthful mem- 
In spite of well pronounced climatic sea- 
Breeding 
Habits 
ber. 
sons there is neither a rutting nor calving period, 
and at any time throughout the year young may 
be seen. They walk either ahead of or behind 
the mother and, contrary to general belief, this 
surely is not a characteristic distinction between 
the white and black species; but in 
danger the calf invariably precedes. 
vase of 
Among the smaller pests that may 
inconvenience white rhinoceroses 
are various ticks, the most typical 
of which have a beautiful metallic lustre. They 
chiefly infest the softer, wrinkled parts of the 
hide about the eyes, ears, neck, abdomen, tail, 
and limbs. Credited with removing these in- 
Insect 
Pests 
sects are the oxpeckers (Buphagus africanus), 
