336 WILD ANIMALS. 



removal was ordered by the Emperor to a small village near the 

 confines of the capital, where, in the year 1821, it was accidentally 

 drowned in a rivulet." 



The Sumatrian rhinoceros {B. Swmatranus) is a two-horned 

 animal, and a native of Sumatra, and the whole range of the 

 Malay peninsula as far as Chittagong. It is the smallest of 

 existing rhinoceroses ; its skin, which is comparatively a delicate 

 one, and almost destitute of the folds pecuHar to the one-horned 

 animals, is slightly covered with stifE brown hairs. Its head is 

 elongated in shape, and the upper hp pointed and curved down- 

 wards. The first horn is the larger one, and is bent backwards ; 

 the second one, which is situated a Httle in front of the eyes, is 

 erect and smooth. Although this animal has two horns, it is not 

 otherwise related to the African species, for it has the incisor 

 teeth and other cranial characters of the Asiatic division. 



These animals are, like all their brethren, very fond of wallowing 

 in the mud. A curious result sometimes follows from this habit, 

 as may be seen from the following extract from the Journal of 

 the Indian ArcMpelago. The extreme cruelty of the natives of 

 these islands is also forcibly illustrated. " This animal, which is 

 of solitary habits, is found frequently in marshy places, with its 

 whole body immersed in the mud, and part of the head only 

 visible. The Malays call the animal ' Badak-Tapa,' or the recluse 

 rhinoceros. Towards the close of the rainy season they are said to 

 bury themselves in this manner in different places ; and upon the 

 dry weather setting in, and from the powerful efiects of a vertical 

 sun, the mud becomes hard and crusted, and the rhinoceros 

 cannot effect its escape without considerable difficulty and exer- 

 tion. The Semangs prepare themselves with large quantities of 

 combustible materials, with which they quietly approach the 

 animal, who is aroused from his reverie by an immense fire over 

 him, wTiich, being kept well supplied by the Semangs with fresh 

 fuel, soon completes his destruction, and renders him in a fit state 

 to make a meal of." 



In 1872, an animal, classified as one of this species, which had 

 been captured at Chittagong in January, 1868, was purchased by 

 the Zoological Society for 1250L, the largest sum ever given for 



