BLACK RHINOCEROS 115 



from Africa, in which, however, the other two families (Ehinocerotidce and Equidae) 

 are well represented. Although the African rhinoceroses are here included in the 

 same genus as their Asiatic cousins, it should be clearly understood that they differ 

 considerably from them. The two African species lack, for instance, the heavy 

 folds in the skin characteristic of their Asiatic relatives, and have likewise no 

 front teeth in their jaws, whereas the Asiatic rhinoceroses are well furnished in this 

 respect. Both kinds carry two horns, of which the front one may attain 

 enormous dimensions. 



The range of the black species now extends from Zululand and perhaps Ovampo- 

 land through Central and East Africa to Somaliland and Abyssinia ; rather more 

 than half a century ago it included Cape Colony. On the western side of the 

 continent the animal is unknown north of Angola. This rhinoceros is easily recog- 

 nised by its pointed and somewhat prehensile upper lip ; while it is also distinguished 

 from its larger relative by the structure of its cheek-teeth, the shape of its horns, 

 and its mode of life. The relative proportions of the horns of both sexes, when well 

 developed, are subject to great variation, the front horn being in some cases much 

 longer than the other, while in others the two are nearly equal, and more rarely 

 the second is the longer. These phases are distinguished by the natives, who employ 

 the name borelli for individuals in which the second horn is the shorter, while the 

 others are termed keitloa. Old bulls attain a shoulder-height of 5 feet and a length 

 of over 10 feet, but females are rather smaller. Of the two horns, the one in 

 front is generally curved backwards and circular in section, but the hind one is 

 usually straight, with a sharper edge than the one in front. The East African 

 R. b. holmwoodi is characterised by the length and slenderness of the front 

 horn. This rhinoceros rarely, if ever, feeds on grass, but consumes roots, leaves, 

 and branches, and consequently frequents forests in rocky regions where there is 

 abundant brushwood. Although as many as seven have been seen together, as a 

 rule they go about singly or in pairs or parties of three. When a female and 

 calf are in company, the latter always walks behind its mother, while the calves 

 of the other species go in front. Both species are nocturnal, although in cloudy 

 weather they may occasionally be seen abroad in daylight. 



It has long been known that many of the ruminants inhabiting the Kalahari 

 Desert of southern Africa pass protracted periods during the dry season without 

 ever drinking, although it seems that all of them are in the habit of eating 

 bulbous roots, gourds, or other vegetable products containing a more or less 

 copious supply of moisture. Recently evidence has been adduced to show that 

 a similar habit characterises certain animals in Somaliland, among these being 

 the black rhinoceros, which is generally supposed to stand in need of a daily drink. 



These Somali rhinoceroses inhabit an arid range of gypsum mountains known 

 as the Bur Dab ; and there appear to be only two spots where they can obtain 

 water, these pools being respectively about 33 and 45 miles distant from the 

 ordinary haunts of the animals. According to native reports, confirmed to some 

 extent by the experience of sportsmen, the rhinoceroses journey to these watering- 

 places only very occasionally during the dry season, probably not more than once 

 each during the whole protracted period. Important corroborative evidence is 

 afforded by the case of a female rhinoceros and her young calf which inhabited 



