322 WILD ANIMALS. 



again into five species, ttree black ones and two white.' The two 

 white rhinoceroses {B. 8imus) and (B. OsweUii) ; the black rhino- 

 ceros (-B. Bicornis); the keitloa rhinoceros (jB. Kdtloa), and 

 another (E. Gucullatus). The adult animals have no incisor teeth, 

 and scarcely any appearance of the peculiar folds of the iutegu- 

 ment which is such a characteristic feature of the Indian species. 



The rhinoceros has a large, unwieldy body, supported on short, 

 thick legs, and its appearance in consequence is clumsy and 

 uncouth. The legs terminate with large callous pads, divided 

 into three toes, which are covered with broad, hoof -like nails. 

 The tail is short, and has a small tuft at the end. The whole 

 body, head, and limbs are covered with an extremely hard and 

 thick skin, which in none of the existing animals exhibits more 

 than mere traces of hair, although there is evidence that some of 

 the extinct species were covered with fur. 



The head of a rhinoceros is large and surmounted by moderately 

 long ears. The eyes are very small. The muzzle is prolonged, 

 and the fleshy covering of the upper lip can be protruded so much 

 that the animal employs it to collect and draw its food into the 

 mouth. Their senses of hearing and scent appear to be acute, 

 but their sight is somewhat limited, for the position of the eyes, 

 which are set far back, prevents them from clearly discerning 

 objects that are exactly in front of hem. 



The nasal bones curve into an arch that forms the support for 

 a horn, or in some instances two, which is the most remarkable 

 peculiarity of these strange beasts, and one that is unique in 

 mammalia. It is from this feature of the animal the name rhinoceros 

 has been given it, a word derived from two Glreek ones, meaning 

 nose and horn. 



In neither species does the horn connect directly with the skull- 

 bones, but it simply grows from the skin, and can easily be 

 removed from the hide by separating it with a sharp knife. 



From the very earliest times many superstitions have existed 

 among the natives in India regarding the horn of the rhinoceros. 

 It was supposed that water drunk from a cup made from it had 

 wonderful medicinal qualities ; but the idea most firmly rooted 

 in the Aryan mind is that the horn is an antidote to poison, and 



