R. K I 
fpotted with blue. The lateral lines are black ; 
and on each fide of the tail there is a bright yel- 
low line. 
RHEA. In the Linnrean fyftenn, a fpecies of 
the ftruthio, or ollrich; fynonymous v/ich the 
nhamdutruacu of the Brazilians. 
RHINE. An Ariftotelian appellation for a 
fpecies of fqualus, the Squatus of Indc^-e and 
Pliny. 
Artedi diftinguiflies this from the other fpecies 
of fqualus by the circumi'cances of it's having no 
pinna ani, and the mouth being fituated in the 
extremity of the fnout. 
RHINGy^U. a name by which fome ichthy- 
clogifcs exprefs the lavaretus, a ilnall fifn caught 
in the German la ivcs, a nd exported in pickle to 
mofi: parts of the commercial world. 
RHINOBATOS. a flat cartilaginous fifii of 
the fquatina or monk-fifn kind ; but differing from 
it in having a longer body, a more pointed head, 
and the mouth placed at a greater diftance below 
the extremity of the fnout. This fifh, which is 
common in the Mediterranean, grows to the 
l;:ngth of three or four feet. In the Linnsan 
fyilem, it is a fpecies of ray. 
PvHINOCEROS. A genus of quadrupeds of 
the order of bellus in the clafs of mammalia, ac- 
cording to t!ie I-innrean diftribution ; and fo called 
from a horn arifing from the nofe. There are 
only two known fpecies of this genus, viz. the 
Rhinoceros with only one horn, and the Rhino- 
ceros v/ith two horns. 
Rhinoceros, Oi-je-Horned; the Rhinoceros 
Unicornis of Linnn:us. This animal, next to the 
elephant, is the mof: powerful of quadrupeds. It 
is commonly twelve feet long from the tip of the 
nofe to the infertion of the tail ; it's height is from 
fix to feven feet; and the circumference of it's 
body is nearly equal to it's length. In magni- 
tude, therefore, it makes a near approach to the 
elephant; and, if it appears Imallcr to the eye, 
the reafon is, becaufe it's legs are much fiiorter. 
But it differs ftill miore from the elephant in 
it's natural powers and intelligenc^e ; for nature 
has not endovved it with any qualities whereby it 
is elevated above the ordinary rank of quadru- 
peds: it is deftitute of all fenfibility in it's Ikin; 
neither has it hands, to enab le it to profit by the 
fenfe of touching; and, infiead of a trunk, it has 
only a moveable lip, to v/hich all it's means of 
dexterity or addrefs are lim.ited. It's chief fources 
of fuperiority over other animals confift in it's 
ftrength ; it's magnitude ; and the ofFenhve wea- 
pon on it's nofe, which is entirely peculiar to the 
kind. This weapon is a very hard horn, folid 
throughout it's whole extent, and firuated more 
advantageoufly than the horns of ruminating ani- 
mals, v/hich defend only the fuperior parts of the 
head and neck. But the horn of the Rhinoceros 
protefts the muzzle, the mouth, and the face; 
for which reafon, the tiger will rather attack the 
elephant, whofe trunk it lays hold of, than tlie 
Rhinoceros, v^'hich it dares not face without run- 
ning the rifk of having it's bowels torn out. The 
body and limbs of the Rhinoceros are covered 
v/ith a blackifla fkin, fo impenetrable, as to reHd 
either the claws of the lion or the tiger, the fword, 
or tlie Hiot of the hunter. It is alfo thicker and 
harder than that of the elephant, and altogether 
infenfible to the (lings of infects. It is incapable 
of either extenfion or contradion ; but is rolled 
up into large folds at the neck, the flioulders, and 
R H I 
the crupper, in order to facilitate the motion of 
it's head and limbs; which lafi are malTy, and 
furnifhed with large feet, artned with three great 
toes. The head is proportionably longer than 
that of the elephant; but it's eyes are finaller, and 
generally half clofcd. The upper, which projects 
over the under lip, being moveable, can be ex- 
tended about fix or feven inches in length; and is 
terminated by a pointed appendage, which gives 
the animal a power of colle6ting herbage in hand- 
fuls, as the elephant does with it's trunk: this 
mufcular and flexible lip is a kind of hand or 
imperfe6l trunk; but it enables the creature to 
feize any objeft with force, and alfo to feel with 
fome addrefs. Inftead of thofe large ivory tufi-cs 
which conftitute the armour of the elephant, the 
Rhinoceros has a formidable horn ; and two ilrong 
incifive teeth in each jaw, which are fituated at a 
great diftance from each other, one in each angle 
of the jaw. The under jaw is fquare before; 
and there are no other incifive teeth in the anterior 
part of the mouth, which is covered by the lips : 
but, exclufive of the four cutting-teeth in the four 
corners of the mouth, there are twenty-four grind- 
ers, fix on each fide of tlie two jaws. The ears, 
which are always kept in an ereft pofture, refem- 
ble thole of the hog, but are proportionably fmall- 
er: thofe are the only parts of the body on which 
there are hairs, or rather briftles ; but the extre- 
mity of the tail, like that of the elephant, is gar- 
nifned v/ith a bufii of large, folid, hard briftles. 
Though the Rhinoceros was frequently exhi- 
bited in the Roman fpeflacles, from the days of 
Pompey to thofe of Heliogabalus ; though it lias 
often been tranfported into Europe in more mo- 
dern times; and though Bontius, Chardin, and 
Kolben, have drawn figures of it both in India and 
Africa ; yet fo badly has it been reprefentcd and 
defcribed, that it was very imperfeftly known till 
the errors and caprices of thofe who had publiflied 
figures of it were detected by an infpe6lion of the 
animals which arrived in London in the years 
1739 and 1741. 
In 1743, the ingenious Dr. Parfons publiftied 
a hiftory of the Rhinoceros; and from a fubjecl: 
fo curious, and handled with fuch accuracy, an 
extra£l: can neither prove ufelefs nor unentertain- 
ing. 
The Rhinoceros whicli the above gentleman 
defcribed was brought from Bengal. Though 
not more than two years old, the expence of his 
food and journey amounted to near one thoufand 
pounds fterling. He was fed with rice, fugar, 
and hay. He had daily feven pounds of rice, 
mixed v/ith three pounds of fugar, and divided 
into three portions : he had likewife hay and green 
herbs, which laft he preferred to hay; and his 
drink was water, of v/hich he took large quanti- 
ties at a tim,e. He was of a peaceable difpofi- 
tion, and allowed all parts of his body to be 
touched. When hungry, or ft-ruck by any per- 
fon, he became mifchievous, and in both cafes 
nothing appeafed him but food. When enraged, 
he fprung forward, and nimbly raifed himfclf to a 
great height, pufliing at the fame time his head 
furioufly againft the v/alls, which he performed 
with amazing quicknefs, notwithftanding his 
heavy afpeft, and unwieldy mafs. ' I often ob- 
ferved,' fays Dr. Parfons, ' thefe movements pro- 
duced by rage or impatience, efpeciaJly in the 
mornino-s before his rice and iug-ar were brou!?ht 
him. The vivacity and promptitude of his mo- 
tionsj' 
