THE RHINOCEROS. 465 



the borders of the ears and the tip of the tail, with occasionally a few 

 bristles on the back. The most peculiar feature of the creature is its 

 horn or horns. This is a very curious structure, and worthy of a brief 

 notice. It is in no way connected with the skull, but is simply a growth 

 from the skin, and may take rank with hairs, spines, or quills, being 

 indeed formed after a similar manner. If a Rhinoceros horn be exam- 

 ined — the species of its owner is quite immaterial — it will be seen to 

 be polished and smooth at the tip, but rough and split into numerous 

 filaments at the base. These filaments, which have a very close resem- 

 blance to those which terminate the plates of whalebone, can be stripped 

 upward for some length ; and if the substance of the horn be cut across, 

 it will be seen to be composed of a vast number of hairy filaments lying 

 side by side, which, when submitted to the microscope and illuminated 

 by polarized light, glow with all the colors of the rainbow, and bear a 

 strong resemblance to transverse sections of actual hair. At the birth of 

 the young animal, the horn is hardly visible, and its full growth is not 

 attained for several years. 



As the horn is employed as a weapon of offence, and is subjected to 

 violent concussions, it is set upon the head in such a manner as to save 

 the brain from the injurious effects which might result from its use in 

 attack or combat. In the first place, the horn has no direct connection 

 with the skull, as it is simply set upon the skin, and can be removed by 

 passing a sharp knife round its base, and separating it from the hide on 

 which it grows. In the second place, the bones of the face are curiously 

 developed, so as to form an arch with one end free, the horn being 

 placed upon the crown of the bony arch in order to diminish the force 

 of the concussion in the best imaginable manner. The substance of the 

 horn is very dense, and even when it is quite dry, it possesses very great 

 weight in proportion to its size. In former days it was supposed to bear 

 an antipathy to poison, and to cause effervescence whenever liquid 

 poison was poured upon it. Goblets were therefore cut from this mate- 

 rial, and when gorgeously mounted in gold and precious stones, were 

 employed by Eastern monarchs as a ready means for detecting any 

 attempt to administer a deadly drug. 



Although the Rhinoceros is at present confined to the Torrid Zone, 



we have evidence that it once was more widely spread. The traveler 



Pallas saw in Siberia the feet of a Rhinoceros which had been found in 



the banks of a river ; they were still covered with skin. The head was 



59 



