THE LIFE OF MAMMALS 
pieces. This latter notion has been world-wide, and is still believed by 
Sudanese Arabs, Chinese peasants, and similarly trustful and backward 
persons. The same opinion formerly prevailed in Europe in respect to 
ibex horns; and the consequent demand for them in the old turbulent 
days, as material for poison-detecting wine cups, did more than anything 
else to exterminate the ibex from the German and Italian Alps. The 
Chinese and Burmese still pay high prices for the horns, tongues, and other 
efficacious parts of the Eastern rhinoceros, to be ground into medicinal 
powders. 
The Indian rhinoceros is the largest of the Asiatic species, 
standing five and three-quarters feet high, and ten and one-half 
eased feet long; its single nose horn rarely exceeds one foot 
Species. long, its skin is thick, hairless, and suggests a suit of 
plate armor. In life a knife blade or bullet will penetrate it 
easily enough, and it is sensitive to the slightest touch; but when 
taken off and properly dried it becomes a very suitable material 
for the shields with which Oriental soldiers used to be armed. 
It may be so prepared as to be translucent and mottled like 
tortoise-shell, and ornaments are made of it. Once a denizen 
of all northeastern India, this animal is now confined to the 
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