i88 



The Living Animals of the World 



There has lieen a good deal of 

 controversy as to the character and 

 disposition of the black rhinoceros, some 

 hunters and travellei's regarding it as 

 most dangerous and aggressive, whilst 

 others are inclined to take an almost 

 opposite view. That some black 

 rhinoceroses are certainly aggressi\e and 

 therefore dangerous animals, the experi- 

 ences of C. J. Anderson and W. Cotton 

 ( )swell in South Africa many years ago 

 and of many travellers and hunters in 

 East Africa during the last few years, 

 certainly prove beyond a doubt ; and as 

 one never knows that any particular 

 ]hinoceros, when encountered, nray not 

 prove to be a vicious brute, a certain 

 amount of caution should be empLjyed 

 in approaching one of these animals. 

 In my own experience I always found 

 that black rhinoceroses ran off at once 

 on getting the wind of a hunaan being ; 

 wliilst, on the other hand, if they only 

 heard one approaching, they would come 

 towards the noise, and I have often 

 known them to trot up to within 

 twenty yards of where I was standing, 

 snorting and puffing loudly; but as tliese animals always turned round and went otf eventually 

 without charging, I came to the conclusion that they were inquisitive and very short-sighted 

 rather than vicious. Wlien tired into, a black rhinoceros goes otf at a gallop — his usual pace, 

 when alarmed, lieing a very fast trot — puffing and snorting loudly. He can gallop at a very 

 great pace, considering his size and weight ; but a Soutli African shooting-pony can easily come 

 up with hira, or get away from him if pursued. In death a black rhinoceros will often sink 

 down on its knees, and remain in that position, looking as if it were simply resting. "When 

 dying, it often gives vent to a jiitiful squeal, the sound seeming very small and thin for so large 

 a beast. The meat of the black rhinoceros is not ill-fla\oured, and, if fat, very palatable; but 

 as a rule these animals are very lean, and their Hesh tough and coarse. The tongue, however, 

 if well cooked, is always good ; and tlie liver, if first roasted under the ashes, and then, after 

 being beaten up in a native wooden mortal', cooked with rice and fat, makes a dish which 

 is good enough for a hungry man. 



During the making of the Uganda Kailway the engineers came ujion something like a 

 ptreserve of this species of rliinoceros, especially in tlie thick and waterless thorn jungle near 

 the coast. The rhinoceros was almost the only animal, except the lion, which was able to 

 penetrate the bush. As many as five of tliese animals were seen in one day when the line 

 was being made ; they did no injury to the coolies, other than by frightening them, and 

 appeared to be stupid and liy no means vigilant animals, perhaps because no other creature 

 attacked tliem. The lion never meddles with a grown-uji rhinoceros, though it might and 

 probably does kill a calf occasionally, when the latter is no larger than a full-grown pig. 

 The horns of some of these East African black rhinoceroses were of unusual length and thinness. 



This specit 



sum AT RAN KHI.NUCEIKIS. 

 iif ihinnctros is the smallest nf the three Oriental forms, 

 two horns. 



