THE WHITE RHINOCEROS 



It has a rather remarkable habit of always deposit- 

 ing its excrement at the same spot, and this in time 

 forms great accumulations. When the mass assumes 

 an inconvenient height, the animal scatters the 

 dry mound with its horn. 



The White Rhinoceros is timid and inoffensive, 

 although when wounded and brought to bay it will 

 occasionally charge. An instance is on record of a 

 hunter having his horse transfixed under hiin by an 

 enraged Rhino of this species. 



It seems a great pity that so harmless and in- 

 offensive an animal should have been allowed to be 

 almost exterminated in South Africa, especially so 

 as it is one of our most interesting fauna. 



The White Rhinoceroses were usually hunted down 

 and killed for the sake of their horns and hides. 

 The latter were cut up and converted into sjamboks 

 and wagon whigs, and the former were sold as curios 

 or converted into walking sticks, whip and knife 

 handles, combs, etc. 



Selous mentions that the eyesight of Rhinoceroses 

 is so poor that on many occasions he was able to 

 walk up to within thirty or forty yards of them on 

 the open veld, without apparently attracting their 

 attention. 



Their sense of smell is highly acute, but that of 

 hearing seems to be rather indifferent. 



When hard pressed this animal, whose usual pace 

 is a swift trot, breaks into a lumbering gallop. If 

 a hind-leg is broken, it is unable to jun, but with a 



211 



