BEHEMOTH AND 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!” 
Cumming, 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 borélé, or black rhinoceros, the keitloa, or two-horned 
black rhinoceros, the muchoch», or common white rhinocercs, 
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 
yarious articles, such as drinking-cups, mallets for rifles, 
handles for turner’s tools, &. &. 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 
