THE WHITE RHINOCEROS 



In former days, judging by their writings, the 

 majority of European hunters slaughtered game 

 animals for the sheer lust of killing. For instance, 

 two hunters whose names are often quoted in natural 

 history books, mention having, during one short 

 hunting trip, killed ninety Rhinoceroses, the majority 

 of which were of the square-lipped species. Another 

 hunter killed sixty in a single season. Even in the 

 remote districts where the European hunter had 

 not penetrated, the slaughter was carried on by 

 natives who had obtained possession of firearms. 



The last living specimen in South Africa, other 

 than those preserved in Zululand, was one which 

 was shot in Rhodesia in the year 1895. 



The White Rhinoceros is an inhabitant of the 

 open grassy plains and wide Valleys, and feeds chiefly, 

 if not entirely, on grass. They associate in pairs or 

 family parties ; at other times they are solitary. 



Although not associating in troops, they must 

 have been quite numerous in restricted localities, 

 for, during a day's march, it was seemingly a common 

 occurrence to observe from twenty to fifty of these 

 huge beasts. A day's journey in those times with a 

 wagon and team of bullocks over the roadless veld 

 was a very slow method of travelling, and if a score 

 or more Rhinoceroses were encountered in a day's 

 journey, they must have been very numerous. 

 Harris mentions having seen as many as eighty 

 in a single day. 



These animals feed during the night, or in the 



VOL. Ill 209 14 



