B92 
THE RHINOCEROS. 
eeros biccrnis, Linn.) and her calf. We saw other footprint* 
among tho hills of Somaloinbuo; but the black rhinoceros 
is remarkably scarce in all tho country north of tho Zam- 
besi. Tho white rhinoceros ( Rhinoceros simus of Burchell,) 
or Mohohu of tho Bechuanas, is quite extinct hore, and 
will soon become unknown in the country to tho south. 
It feeds almost entirely on grasses, and is of a timid, un- 
suspecting disposition : this renders it an easy prey, and 
they aro slaughtered without mercy on tho introduction of 
fire-arms. Tho black possesses a more savago nature, and, 
like tho ill-natured in general, is novor found with an ounce 
of fat in its body. Prom its greater fierceness and wariness, 
it holds its place in a district much longer than its more 
timid and bettor-conditioned neighbor. Mr. Oswoll was 
once stallsing two of those beasts, and, as they came slowly 
to him, ho, knowing that thcro is but little chanco of hitting 
tho small brain of this animal by a shot in the head, lay 
expecting one of them to givo his shoulder till he was 
within a few yards. Tho hunter thon thought that by 
making a rush to his side he might succeed in escaping; 
but tho rhinoceros, too quick for that, turned upon him, 
and, though he discharged his gun close to tho animal’s 
head, ho was tossed in the air. My friond was insensible 
for some time, and, on recovering, found largo wounds on 
tho thigh and body: I saw that on tho former part still 
open, and five inches long. Tho whito, however, is not 
always quito safe, for ono, oven after it was mortally 
wounded, attacked Mr. Oswell’s horse, and thrust the 
horn through to tho saddle, tossing at tho time both horse 
and rider. I once saw a whito rhinoceros givo a buffalo, 
which was gazing intently at myself, a poko in tho chest, 
but it did not wound it, and seemed only a hint to got out 
of tho way. Four varieties of tho rhinoceros aro enume- 
rated by naturalists, but my observation led me to conclude 
that there aro but two, and that tho oxtra spccios have 
boon formed from differences in their sizes, ages, and the 
direction of the horns ; as if we should reckon the short- 
