THE RHINOCEROS. 325 



lasigmficant weapon, and inadequate to penetrate any hard or 

 tough substance." That this, however, is not the case, he thinks 

 proved by the fact that elephants have often been found dead, 

 obviously from wounds received from the horn of a rhinoceros. 

 This evidence rests only on native statements, for Williamson 

 himself does not state he ever saw a dead elephant so wounded. 

 He mentions, however, that Major Lally, an ofllcer of the Indian 

 army, whose veracity was beyond question, while engaged in a 

 hunting expedition, saw a desperate encounter between a rhino- 

 ceros and a large male elephant, in which the latter animal 

 was beaten ; but the method of attack adopted by the rhino- 

 ceros in this fight is not stated, and the narration only proves 

 that these two animals are natural enemies and occasionally 

 fight. 



All varieties of the rhinoceros, are subject to violent fits of 

 temper, which are frequently exhibited, even when they have 

 not received any apparent provocation. Their strength and the 

 poAver of uprooting fences, or attacking animals, make them 

 dangerous and troublesome at such periods, and care has to be 

 exercised to prevent them from committing serious damage, for 

 they appear to have but Httle method in their madness, judging 

 from the extraordinary series of antics they indulge in, such as 

 rushing about with the horn in the earth, making deep furrows as 

 though cut with a plough, or with loud grunts commencing to rip 

 or trample some bush or other object against which they appear 

 to take a spite, or other equally meaningless proceedings. When 

 in a wild state when in this condition they will furiously attack 

 any object they may see moving. 



These beasts appear to be fond of haunting river-banks and , 

 wallowing in the mud. They generally have their hide well coated 

 with a thick layer of this substance, for it is surmised that in this 

 way they endeavour to shield themselves from the attack of the 

 flies which plague the animal world of Asia and Africa. Thick- 

 skinned animals, through having such large pores, are particu- 

 larly vulnerable and sensitive to these stinging insects. 



The best known animal of the family is the large Indian 

 rhinoceros (B. Unicornis, called by some naturaHsts B. Indicus). 



