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-hke 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 lip, 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 
