BEHEJIOTU AKD THE UNICORN. 595 



Verily the rifle has brought us back to the antediluvian 

 prowess of that period, concerning which it is recorded, as 

 I have before remarked, — " and there were; giants in those 

 days !" 



Gumming, in his off-hand way, thus introduces us to the 

 unicorn. 



Of the rhinoceros there are four varieties in South 

 Africa, distinguished by the Bechuanas by the names of 

 the borM^, or black rhinoceros, the keitloa, or two-horned 

 black rhinoceros, the muchocho, or common white rhinoceros, 

 and the kobaoba, or long-horned white rhinoceros. Both 

 varieties of the black rhinoceros are extremely fierce and 

 dangerous, and rush headlong and unprovoked at any object 

 which attracts their attention. They never attain much fat, 

 and their flesh is tough, and not much esteemed by the 

 Bechuanas. Their food consists almost entirely of the 

 thorny branches of the wait-a-bit thorns. Their horns are 

 much shorter than those of the other varieties, seldom 

 exceeding eighteen inches in length. They are finely 

 polished with constant rubbing against the trees. The skull 

 is remarkably formed, its most striking feature being the 

 tremendous thick ossification in which it ends above the 

 nostrils. It is on this mass that the horn is supported. 

 The horns are not connected with the skull, being attached 

 merely by the skin, and they may thus be separated from 

 the head by means of a sharp knife. They are hard and 

 perfectly solid throughout, and are a fine material for 

 various articles, such as drinking-cups, mallets for rifles, 

 handles for turner's tools, &c. &c. The horn is capable 

 of a very high polish. The eyes of the rhinoceros are 

 small and sparkling, and do not readily observe the 

 hunter, provided he keeps to leeward of them. The skin 

 is extremely thick, and only to be penetrated by bullets 

 hardened with solder. During the day the rhinoceros will 

 be found lying asleep or standing indolently in some retired 



