140 MAMMALIA. 



habits. Thougli such a powerful animal, it rarely attacks before 

 it is interfered witb ; the other large animals fear it, and con- 

 sequently leave it unmolested. Its horn only serves it for moving 

 branches out of its way and for cleariag a road for itself ia the 

 thickets, in the midst of which it passes its taciturn existence. 

 Some naturalists have said that it uses its tusks for tearing up the 

 roots on which it is fond of feeding ; but in order to turn up the 

 soil, the animal, from the position of its horn and from that horn 

 being curved backwards, would be obliged to assume an attitude 

 which the shortness of its neck and its general conformation 

 render impossible.* 



Its principal food consists of roots, of succulent plants, and of 

 small branches of trees, which it tears off, seizes, and breaks with 

 its upper lip, which is elongated and movable, and which it uses 

 with great adroitness, almost in the same way in which the Ele- 

 phant uses its trunk. When it is kept in a state of captivity, it 

 eats bread, rice, bran soaked in water, hay, and carrots. 



Its clumsy shape, its short legs, its belly almost touching the 

 ground, render this animal very ugly and ill-favoured. Its 

 diminiitive eyes seem to indicate a low order of intelligence. 

 And so the Rhinoceros is a duU. beast, brusque, and almost un- 

 tameable. When it is not irritated, its voice has a great analogy 

 to the grunting of a pig ; if it is angered it utters sharp, piercing 

 cries, that can be heard at great distances. 



The female has only one yoimg one, which she carries for nine 

 months, and which she tends with great care. It is dangerous to 

 be thrown in contact with the female at this period. 



In India, in former times, the Rhinoceros was hunted on light, 

 quick horses. The huntsmen followed it from afar off, and without 

 any noise, tiU. the animal became tired and was obliged to lie down 

 and sleep. Then the sportsmen approached it, taking care to keep 

 to leeward, for it has a very acute sense of smell. When they 

 ■were withia shot, they dismounted, aimed at the head, fired, and 

 galloped away ; for if the Rhinoceros is only wounded, it rushes 

 furiously upon its aggressors. When struck by a bullet, it aban- 

 dons itself whoUy to rage. It rushes straight forward, smashing, 

 overturning, trampling under foot, and crushing to atoms every- 



* A wounded Rhinoceros of this species has heen seen to out the reeds on either 

 side of it as perfectly as if done with the sharpest incisive instrument. — Eii. 



