THE RHINOCEROS 



quarters ; moreover the animals had much increased in 

 size and strength during the winter months. 



I therefore arranged to get them into a large den (one 

 at a time), and draw this on a low- wheeled truck, used for 

 this purpose, but the enormous weight of this den and 

 the animals combined prevented this plan from being 

 carried out. After we had succeeded in getting the 

 beast (the male) into the den, the weight of which was 

 over two tons (without the rhinoceros), I considered that 

 the only way we could move it was by rollers on planks 

 laid on the pathway, and so slide or roll it on. Owing to 

 the slow progress we made, the day was so far advanced 

 that, before the transfer to the summer quarters was 

 completed, I felt convinced we should not have time to 

 repeat the process with the other animal before dark. I 

 was, however, in fear that the female would turn ill- 

 tempered on account of her being left by herself, and I 

 also had vague fears that she was able to break out of the 

 house were she to attempt to do so. 



After safely depositing the male, and having the whole 

 staff of keepers (thirty in number) at hand, I ordered the 

 strong leather collar and an additional rope collar to be 

 put on the neck of the female, and with two double ropes 

 behind and one double rope in front we started. Although 

 we went on tolerably steady, and got safely to the end of 

 the journey, we all felt perfectly sure, from the few pranks 

 played by her ladyship — she had given every one his work 

 to do — that the male would be more than all concerned 

 would have cared to tackle in this fashion. 



The large female Indian rhinoceros died on December 13, 

 1873. She was the same animal which met with the acci- 

 dent by falling through the ice on the pond in her paddock, 

 and of which Mr. Buckland gave a graphic account in 

 Land and Water, December 29, 1870. 



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