186 



The Living Animals of the World 



i„„.„(.., J. II . -l.L J 



EHINOCEEOS BATHING. 

 All the Asiatic species of rliinoceros ave fond of batliiDg and wallowing in nmd. 



most rigid protection they are too 

 few in number to restock the country. 

 They have a iDetter chance, I think, 

 of increasing in numbers in Zululand 

 than in Mashonaland, in which latter 

 country it is at present impossible 

 to afford them any protection either 

 from natives or Europeans. 



A full-grown bull white rhinoceros 

 stands from 6 feet G inches to 6 feet 

 9 inches at the shoulder, and is very 

 massively built, with short, stout legs. 

 The head is very much elongated, 

 and the mouth square, like that of 

 an ox. When white rhinoceroses 

 were still plentiful, very considerable 

 differences were observable in the 

 length and shape of their horns. The 

 anterior horns of full-grown bulls might measure from 18 inches to 40 inches in length; those of 

 cows from 24 inches to 60 inches. The longest horn known — that of a cow— which was brought 

 from South Africa by the well-kno^TO hunter the late Roualeyn Gordon Gumming, measures 

 62i inches over the curve. As a rule, the front horn of the white rhinoceros curved slightly 

 backwards, but was often straight or bent slightly forwards, and sometimes curved strongly 

 backwards. The posterior horn varied from a few inches to 2 feet in length. 



The white rhinoceros lived in families, usually a bull, cow, and calf being found together ; 

 but there might be two or even three calves of different ages, and of which the youngest 

 alone would be suckling, living with the fattier and mother. In the early South African spring 

 (September and October), when the young green herbage was just sprouting after the first rains, 

 two or three families of white rhinoceroses might be seen feeding in close proximity, presenting 

 the appearance of a herd ; but I fancy the several families of these animals had only been 

 brought together for the sake of the young green grass. In Southern Africa the white 

 rhinoceros lived entirely on grass, and I have never seen any evidence of their liaving eaten 

 anything else. When either walking, trotting, or galloping, the white rhinoceros always 

 carried its nose close to the ground. A calf always preceded its mother, and she appeared to 

 guide it by holding the point of her horn on the little creature's rumpi ; and in all changes of 

 pace, no matter how sudden, this position was always maintained. The white rhinoceros was 

 easily killed by a shot through the heart or througli both lungs, liut would tra\'el very long 

 distances, and probably, as a rule, ultimately reeo\er from wounds in other parts of the body. 

 They could travel at a great rate and for a considerable distance with a broken fore leg or 

 shoulder, but if a hind leg were broken they were rendered almost immediately helpless. In 

 disposition they were sluggish and inoffensive animals, lying asleep in the sliade of trees or 

 bushes during the heat of the day, and coining to the water to drink at night or often before 

 sundown in parts of the country wliere they had not been much molested. When disturbed, 

 white rhinoceroses would go off at a swift trot, l;iut if chased on liorsel_iack would break into a 

 gallop, which they were capable of maintaining for a considerable distance, and at a wonderful 

 pace for so large and heavy an animal. The meat of the white rhinoceros was most excellent, the 

 part in greatest favour amongst hunters being tlie hump on the back of the neck in front of 

 the shoulder, which was cut off whole and roasted in the skin in a hole dug in the ground. 



The colour of the so-called white rhinoceros is dark grey. The second species of African 

 rhinoceros, which is also dark grey in colour, is known as the Black or Prehensile-lipped 

 Rhinoceros. 



Less than a hundred years ago the range of this fast-disappearing species extended from. 



