130 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



A young elephant, about two years and six months old, died from 

 this disease in 1877. 



" Sukha, or dry Zahr-bdd— Is brought on by neglect, insufficient and im- 

 proper food, want of cleanliness. 



" Symptoms.— The animal pines away to a skeleton, becomes speckled, assumes 

 a shiny grey colour, and tries to scratch itself on the legs. Treatment.— The 

 animal is to be washed twice a day in clear water, well dried, and rubbed well 

 with tillee oil (petroleum, when procurable) three times a week. The skin is 

 in a very tender state, and should be protected from the sun, which will crack 

 it ; and from the rain, which will rot the scurf skiu, and produce a state of 

 intense rawness." 



A young elephant, neglected by its former owner, was lately 

 observed to have suffered from all the above symptoms. 



Observations on the habits of an Elephant. 



The following is recorded of a young elephant which was sent 

 to the Melbourne Zoological Garden iu 1883:— " Its voyage was an 

 adventurous one, as a terrific storm was encountered which cleared 

 the deck of the ship, but the wise brute held on by its trunk to an 

 iron bar on the leeside of the vessel until the storm abated." Elephants 

 have been repeatedly observed to shed tears abundantly if forced to 

 leave permanently their old home, associates, and surroundings. 



(164) THE INDIAN EHINOOEEOS. 



(RHINOCEROS UNICORNIS— Linn.) 



Hindi — Genda y Genda. Bengali — Qandar. 



In this species the folds of the neck do not meet to form a saddle 

 on the nape as in the next species, but curve backwards to join that on 

 the shoulders ; the base of the skull is broad ; the hide, which is very 

 thick and tough, is like an armour plate, and studded as it were with 

 round-headed nails, especially at the folds. In adult specimens the 

 upper lip is rounded off, but in young individuals it is produced to a 

 point, which is particularly noticeable, as lately observed, while the 

 animal is feeding, or in the act of seizing something. The ridge of 

 the skull flat, and ears placed closer together than in the next species. 

 There is no difference in the relative size of sexes, but the horn is 

 smaller in the female. It is the largest known species of the Asiatic 

 rhinoceros. 



Rab. — At present the Indian rhinoceros is mostly confined to the 

 Dooars to the east of the Teesta river, although specimens are now and 

 then heard of or obtained from Nepal Terai and Assam. Formerly 

 they had a wider rauge of distribution, being found in the Terai regions 

 between the Himalayas and Granges, and, according to Jerdon, from 

 Rohilkund to Assam. Specimens are recorded from Purneah, Nepal 

 Terai, Maldah, Growhati (Assam). 





