90 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Rhinoceros. 



■with the vast weight of solid flesh to be sustained 

 and the enormous strength of the muscles. The 

 neck, though short, is longer in proportion than 

 that of the elephant, and from the shortness of the 

 limbs gives the animal the power of grazing the 

 herbage. 



Four fossil species of hippopotamus are described 

 by Cuvier ; of one (H. antiquus) the relics are 

 widely distributed, and are particularly abundant in 

 the Val d'Arno, Italy, intermixed with those of the 

 elephant and rhinoceros. 



.375 — The Rhinoceros. 

 This genus contains six living and well-established 

 species, as far as naturalists are at present able to 

 determine, and several fossil species, of which the 

 relics occur in the same strata as those of the fossil 

 elephant. 



The existing species are confined to the hotter 

 regions of the Old World, and are divided between 

 Africa and India, including the islands of Java and 

 Sumatra. It is in the land of the elephant and the 

 hippopotamus that the rhinoceros wanders in fear- 

 less confidence, as if aware of his enormous powers, 

 and the advantage of his weapons of defence. One 

 species (Rh. Indicus ; Figs. 375, 376, 378, 380, and 

 381) is peculiar to continental India beyond the 

 Ganges, Siam, and Cochin- China ; one (Rh. Javanus: 

 Fig. 382) is a native of Java ; and one with two 

 horns (Rh. Sumatranus : Fig. 383), of Sumatra. Three 

 two-horned species are indigenous in Africa, viz. : the 

 common two-horned or black rhinoceros (Rh. bi- 

 eornis, Linn. ; Africanus, Cuv. : Figs. 377, 387) ; the 

 white rhinoceros (Rh. simus : Figs. 3S8, 389): and the 

 Keitloa (Rh. Keitloa : Figs. 379 and 386), discovered 

 by Dr. Smith during his expedition into the interior. 

 We may here add that though Bruce and Salt notice 

 the existence of a two-horned rhinoceros in Abys- 

 sinia different from the common species of South 

 Africa,* there is some reason to believe in the 

 existence of a single-horned species in that region. 

 Bruce states that a one-horned rhinoceros is found 

 towards Cape Gardafui, according to the accounts 

 of the natives in the kingdom of Adel. Accounts 

 of such an animal were received by Dr. Smith from 

 the natives in the interior of South Africa, who re- 

 presented it as living far up the country ; moreover 

 Burckhardt alludes to a one-horned species in the 

 territory above Sennaar, and states that the inhabit- 

 ants there give it the name of the " mother of the 

 one horn." According to this traveller, its northern 

 boundary, like that of the elephant, is the range of 

 mountains to the north of Abou Huaze, two days' 

 journey from Sennaar. The hide of this animal is 

 manufactured into shields, which have an extensive 

 sale; the material of the horn is also sold, and at 

 a high price, Burckhardt having seen four or five 

 Spanish dollars paid for a piece four inches long 

 and one inch thick. Was the one-horned rhinoce- 

 ros seen by Strabo at Alexandria this species or 

 the common Indian? — and the same question ap- 

 plies to the one-horned rhinoceros, which, with a 

 hippopotamus, was given by Augustus, in the cele- 

 bration of his triumph over Cleopatra, to be slain in 

 the Circus ; which animals, Dion Cassius says, were 

 then first seen and killed at Rome — an assertion per- 

 fectly erroneous, as it respects the rhinoceros, if it 

 was the common Indian species, for Pliny, in his 

 eighth book, alluding to the games of Pompey, men- 

 tions the one-horned rhinoceros (Indian, it is pre- 

 sumed) as then exhibited (" Iisdem ludis, et rhinoce- 

 ros unius in nare cornu, qualis saepe visus "). With 

 respect to the two-horned African species, it was also 

 exhibited in Rome ; and had learned critics known 

 anything of natural history, the line in Martial 

 (" namque gravem gemino cornu sic extulitursum") 

 would not have given rise to so many futile disquisi- 

 tions and attempted corrections. Pausanias describes 

 a two-horned rhinoceros under the name of ^Ethio- 

 pian Bull. Two individuals of the same species 

 appeared at Rome under the emperor Domitian, on 

 some of whose medals was impressed their figure ; 

 others were exhibited under Antoninus, Helioga- 

 balus, and Gordian III. Martial lived in the time 

 of Domitian, and the rhinoceros " gemino cornu " 

 was doubtless seen by him. 



The animals of the present genus are all remark- 

 able for the massiveness of their form and the clum- 

 siness of their proportions ; they are, however, more 

 prompt and rapid than might be at first supposed, 

 and when attacked they rush on their foes with 

 headlong impetuosity. The body is of great bulk, 

 and protuberant at the sides ; the neck is short and 

 deep ; the shoulders are heavy, the limbs thick ; 

 the feet are divided into three toes incased in hoofs. 

 The skin is thick and coarse, with a knotty or tuber- 

 culous surface, and destitute, or nearly so, of hairs. 



* A pair of horns brought by Salt from Abyssinia, and now in the 

 museum of the Royal College of Surgeons," more nearlv resemble 

 those of the Keitloa than of the R. bicornis ; and Dr. Smith considers 

 a pair brought by Major Denham from North Africa to be different 

 a^ain, and unlike those of any other species. Clubs of rhinoceros- 

 horn, of about three feet in length, have been brought from Dahomy, 

 Western Africa. It is evident that there are two or three species in 

 Africa with which naturalists are not acquainted. 



In the common Indian species it is disposed in large 

 folds, especially on the neck, shoulders, haunches, 

 and thighs. The eyes are small, placed nearer the 

 nose than in other quadrupeds, and high towards the 

 upper surface of the skull ; the ears are moderate 

 and erect. The head is large and ponderous : it is 

 elevated between the ears, whence it sweeps 

 with a concave line to the nasal bones, which rise in 

 the form of an arch to support the horn (see skele- 

 ton, Fig. 385). The upper lip is soft, flexible, sen- 

 sitive, capable of being protruded, and used to a cer- 

 tain degree as an organ of prehension. 



But that which gives most character to the head 

 of the rhinoceros is its horn, single in some species, 

 double in others. This organ is of an elongated, 

 recurvent, conical figure, arising from a broad", lim- 

 pet-shaped base, seated on the nasal bones, which 

 are of a thickness and solidity not to be found in 

 other races of quadrupeds. They form a vaulted 

 roof, elevated in a remarkable degree above the 

 intermaxillary bones, containing the incisor teeth, 

 and their upper arched surface is rough with nu- 

 merous irregularities and depressions; and here 

 we may pause, to reflect on the advantages gained 

 by their form and structure. They have not merely 

 to sustain the weight of the horn, no trifle in itself, 

 but to resist the shock occasioned by the violent 

 blows which the animal gives with the weapon upon 

 various occasions. Hence, conjoined with their 

 solidity, that form is given to the nasal bones 

 which, of all others, is best calculated for sustaining 

 a superincumbent weight or sudden jars ; while the 

 rugosities and depressions tend to the firmer adhe- 

 sion of the skin, to which the horn is immediately 

 attached. In the two-horned species the posterior 

 horn rests on the os frontis. The nasal horn of the 

 rhinoceros is a solid mass, structurally composed of 

 agglutinated fibres analogous to hair, and much 

 resembling those into which whalebone is so easily 

 separable. 



It has been asserted by some travellers that the 

 horns of the African species are moveable, and that 

 the animal rattles them against each other : this, 

 however, is a mistake — they are firmly fixed. The 

 nostrils are on each side of the upper lip ; the 

 tongue is perfectly smooth, contrary to what is 

 alleged by many of the older writers, who describe 

 it to be covered with spines, and capable of lace- 

 rating the skin. The senses of smell and hearing 

 are very acute. Dentition variable : canines want- 

 ing. In the Indian rhinoceros the formula is as 



4 J *j 



follows: — Incisors, -; Molars, ~ — ^— 36. 



376, 378. — The Indian Rhinoceros 

 in his native regions leads a tranquil, indolent life : 

 like the elephant, he gives preference to the marshv 

 borders of lakes and rivers, or swampy woods and 

 jungles, delighting to roll and wallow in the oozy 

 soil, and plasler his skin with mud. He is also 

 fond of the bath, and swims with ease and vigour. 

 The splendid animal in the gardens of 1he Zoological 

 Society may be often seen during the hot weather 

 of summer enjoying the bath in the paddock ap- 

 propriated for his exercise, or rolling and wallowing 

 in the mud, or basking luxuriously, half in, half out, 

 of the water, like a huge hog, uttering every now 

 and then a low grunt of self-complacent satisfaction. 



Sluggish in his habitual movements, the rhino- 

 ceros wanders through his native plains with a heavy 

 step, carrying his huge head so low that his nose 

 almost touches the ground, and stopping at intervals 

 to crop some favourite plant, or, in playful wanton- 

 ness, to plough up the ground with his horn, throw- 

 ing the mud and stones behind him. The jungle 

 yields before his weight and strength, and his track 

 is said to be often marked by a line of devastation. 

 When roused the rhinoceros is a most formidable 

 antagonist, and such is the keenness of his senses 

 of smell and of hearing, that, unless by very cau- 

 tiously approaching him against the direction of the 

 wind, it is almost impossible to take him by surprise. 

 On the appearance of danger the rhinoceros gene- 

 rally retreats to his covert in the tangled and 

 almost impenetrable jungle, but not always, and in- 

 stances are on record in which, snuffing up the ail 

 and throwing his head violently about, he has 

 rushed with fury to the attack, without waiting for 

 the assault. There are, in fact, seasons in which the 

 rhinoceros is very dangerous, and attacks every 

 animal with impetuosity that attracts his notice or 

 ventures near his haunts, even the elephant himself. 



From the earliest times the horn of the Indian 

 rhinoceros (the observation applies to other species 

 also) has been regarded either as an antidote against 

 poison or as efficacious in detecting its presence, as 

 well as useful in curing disease. The Indian kings 

 made use of it at table, because, as was believed, 

 " it sweats at the approach of any kind of poison 

 whatever." Goblets made of it are in high estima- 

 tion ; these are often set with gold or silver, and 

 sell for large sums : when poison is poured into 

 them, the liquor, it is said, betrays its noxious quali- 



ties by effervescing till it runs over the brim : water 

 drank from them, or from the cup-like hollow at the 

 base of the horn, is regarded as medicinal. In the 

 latter case the water is to be stirred in the hollow 

 with the point of an iron nail till it becomes dis- 

 coloured, when the patient must drink it. 



The strong deep folds into which the coarse 

 skin is gathered in the cheeks, neck, shoulders, 

 haunches, and thighs are distinguishing characters 

 of the Indian rhinoceros. The general colour of 

 the skin is dusky black, with a slight tint of purple. 

 Mr. Hodgson (' Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society,' 1834) states that the female goes from 

 17 to 18 months with young, and produces one at 

 a birth: he adds also, "It is believed that the 

 animal lives for 100 years: one taken mature was 

 kept at Katmandoo for 35 years without exhibiting 

 any symptoms of approaching decline. The you hg 

 continues to suck lor nearly two years: it has for a 

 month after birth a pink suffusion over the dark 

 colour proper to the mature hide." The female is 

 desperate in the protection of her young. 



382. — The Javanese Rhinoceros 

 (Rh. Javanus). As far as is ascertained, this species 

 is confined to the island of Java, where it is called 

 Warak. In the character of the incisor teeth, and 

 the horn being single, it agrees with the Indian 

 species; but it is a less bulky animal, and in pro- 

 portion, more elevated in the limbs ; the folds of the 

 skin are both less numerous, less deep, and also 

 differently arranged; the surface of the skin is 

 divided into small polygonal tubercles with a slight 

 central depression in each, from which arise a lew 

 short bristly hairs. In its habits this species is 

 gregarious ; its range on the island extends from 

 the level of the ocean to the summits of mountains 

 of considerable elevation — the latter situations are 

 preferred ; its retreats in these mountains are to be 

 discovered by deeply-excavated passages worked out 

 on their declivities. When met with, or otherwise 

 disturbed, it quietly retires, being very mild and 

 peaceable. Night is the principal season of its ac- 

 tivity, and it often commits considerable damage in 

 the plantations of coffee and pepper. The horns and 

 skin are employed for medicinal purposes by the na- 

 tives. D\: Horsfield (' Zoological Researches in 

 Java") gives a detailed account of one of these ani- 

 mals which was kept at Surakarta, and which was 

 very mild and tractable, allowing persons even to 

 mount on its back. In its habit of wallowing in 

 the mire it resembled the rest of the genus. The 

 Javanese Rhinoceros was known to Bontius, who 

 wrote on the productions of that island in 1629. 

 Fig. 384 represents the skull of this species, which 

 is more elongated in proportion and less heavily 

 made than that of the Indian animal. 



383. — The Sumatran Rhinoceros 

 (Rh. Sumatranus, Raffles) was first described by Mr. 

 Bell, surgeou in the service of the East India Com- 

 pany, at Bencoolen (' Philosophical Transactions,' 

 1793); but it appears to have been indicated pre- 

 viously by Mr. 0. Miller, long resident in Sumatra 

 (Pennant's ' History of Quadrupeds,' 3rd ed., vol. i.). 

 The head is more elongated than in the other two 

 species, and there are two horns on the nose : the 

 neck is thick and short, the limbs massive ; the skin 

 is rough and black, and covered with short hair ; the 

 folds are very inconsiderable, but are most distinct 

 on the neck, shoulders, and haunches. The 

 female is stated to have a heavier head than the 

 male. The number of incisors is four in each jaw, 

 but of these the lateral ones are very small and soon 

 fall out ; hence Bell and others supposed the num- 

 ber to be only two. 



The Sumatran rhinoceros is by no means bold or 

 savage ; one of the largest size has been seen to run 

 away from a single wild dog. Its native name is 

 Bad'ak, whence the term Abadia, or Abath, applied 

 to the Indian rhinoceros by our early navigators. 

 Sir S. Raffles says that, besides this species, there is 

 another animal in the forests of Sumatra, never no- 

 ticed, which in size and character nearly resembles 

 this rhinoceros, but which is said to have a single 

 horn, and to be distinguished by a narrow white belt 

 encircling the body. The natives of the interior 

 term it Tennu, which, at Malacca, is the name of 

 the Tapir ; but in Sumatra the name of the Tapir is 

 Gindol and Babialu. In the interior, however, where 

 different tribes shut out from general communication 

 speak different dialects, it is probable that the term 

 Tennu may be the name applied by some, as at Ma- 

 lacca, to the tapir, and hence would 1he confusion 

 arise; for, from the description, notwithstanding 

 the assertion that it possesses a horn, we cannot 

 help regarding this Tennu of the forest of the interior 

 as the tapir. 



Of the African species of rhinoceros we may first 

 notice the 



377, 387.— Black or Common African Rhinoceros 

 (Rh. bicornis, Linn. ; Rh. Africanus, Cuv.J. This 

 huge animal, though driven from the precincts of 



