204- TWO-HORNED RHINOCEROS. 



a real variety of that animal, it is not easy to de- 

 termine ; but the latter seems the most favourable 

 construction, and (if we allow that species to be 

 found in Africa) is by no means an improbable 

 supposition ; since all other travellers, who have 

 seen and described the two-horned species, agree 

 in affirming that the very strong plaits and ar- 

 mour-like appearance of the skin, which so strik- 

 ingly distinguish the common Rhinoceros, are 

 not visible, or, at least, but very obscurely visi- 

 ble, in the two-horned species. 



Mr. Bruce's description of the manner of feed- 

 ing, as well as of some other particulars relative 

 to the Two-horned Rhinoceros, seems highly wor- 

 thy of notice. He informs us, that, " besides the 

 trees capable of most resistance, there are, in the 

 vast forests within the rains, trees of a softer con- 

 sistence, and of a very succulent quality, which 

 seem to be destined for his principal food. For 

 the purpose of gaining the highest branches of 

 these, his upper lip is capable of being lengthened 

 out so as to increase his power of laying hold 

 with this in the same manner as the Elephant 

 does with his trunk. With this Up, and the as- 

 sistance of his tongue, he pulls down the upper 

 branches which have most leaves, and these he 

 devours first ; having stript the tree of its branches, 

 he does not therefore abandon it, but, placing his 

 snout as low in the trunk as he finds his horns will 

 enter, he rips up the body of the tree, and reduces 

 it to thin pieces, like so many laths ; and when he 

 has thus prepared it, he embraces as much of it 



