1 86 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



nose at an angle of 45'. The posterior horn of either species 

 seldom exceeds six or seven inches in length. Both these 

 varieties attain an enormous size, being the animals next in 

 magnitude to the elephant. They feed solely on grass, cany 

 much fat, and their flesh is excellent, being preferable 

 to beef." 



Rhinoceros Mr. Gordon Gumming gives several graphic 

 Hucting. descriptions of his experiences with the rhinoceros, 

 in his "Hunting Adventures in South Africa", from which 

 work the foregoing description of the several species is taken. 

 On one occasion after following a huge white rhinoceros, 

 which, however, escaped him, he says, " I foimd myself on the 

 banks of the stream beside which my waggons were out- 

 spanned. Following along its margin, I presently beheld a 

 bull of the borele, or black rhinoceros, standing within a 

 hundred yards of me. Dismounting from my horse, I secured 

 him to a tree, and then stalked within twenty yards of the 

 huge beast, under cover of a large strong bush. Borele, 

 hearing me advance, came on to see what it was, and suddenly 

 protruded his horny nose within twenty yards of me. Knowing 

 well that a front shot would not prove deadly, I sprang to 

 my feet and ran behind the bush. Upon this the villain 

 charged, blowing loudly, and chased me round the bush. 

 Had his activity been equal to his ugliness my wanderings 

 would have terminated here, but by my superiority I had 

 the advantage in the turn. After standing a short time eyeing 

 me through the bush ... he wheeled about, leaving me master 

 of the field." This was not the only nor even the narrowest 

 escape experienced by Mr. Gordon Gumming when hunting 

 this enormous beast. On another occasion he says : — " Having 

 proceeded about two miles with large herds of game on every 

 side, I observed a crusty looking old bull borele or black 

 rhinoceros, cocking his ears one hundred yards in advance. 

 He had not observed us; and soon after he walked slowly 

 towards us, and stood broadside, eating some wait-a-bit 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



