140 
MAMMALIA. 
habits. Though such a powerful animal, it rarely attacks before 
it is interfered with ; the other large animals fear it, and con- 
sequently leave it unmolested. Its horn only serves it for moving 
branches out of its way and for clearing a road for itself in the 
thickets, in the midst of which it passes its taciturn existence. 
Some naturalists have said that it uses its tusks for tearing up the 
roots on which it is fond of feeding ; but in order to turn up the 
soil, the animal, from the position of its horn and from that horn : 
being curved backwards, would be obliged to assume an attitude 
which the shortness of its neck and its general conformation 
render impossible.* 
Its principal food consists of roots, of succulent plants, and of 
small branches of trees, which it tears oif, seizes, and breaks with 
its upper lip, which is elongated and movable, and which it uses j 
with great adroitness, almost in the same way in which the Ele- 
phant uses its trunk. When it is kept in a state of captivity, it 
eats bread, rice, bran soaked in water, hay, and carrots. 
Its clumsy shape, its short legs, its belly almost touching the 
ground, render this animal very ugly and ill-favoured. Its 
diminutive eyes seem to indicate a low order of intelligence. I 
And so the Rhinoceros is a dull beast, brusque, and almost un- 
tameable. When it is not irritated, its voice has a great analogy 
to the grunting of a pig ; if it is angered it utters sharp, piercing 
cries, that can be heard at great distances. 
The female has only one young one, which she carries for nine 
months, and which she tends with great care. It is dangerous to 
be thrown in contact with the female at this period. 
In India, in former times, the Rhinoceros was hunted on light, 
quick horses. The huntsmen followed it from afar oif, and without 
any noise, till the animal became tired and was obliged to lie down 
and sleep. Then the sportsmen approached it, taking care to keep 
to leeward, for it has a very acute sense of smell. When they 
were within shot, they dismounted, aimed at the head, fired, and 
galloped away ; for if the Rhinoceros is only wounded, it rushes 
furiously upon its aggressors. When struck by a bullet, it aban- 
dons itself wholly to rage. It rushes straight forward, smashing, 
overturning, trampling under foot, and crushing to atoms every- 
* A wounded Rhinoceros of this species has been seen to cut the reeds on either 
side of it as perfectly as if done with the sharpest incisive instrument. — Ed. 
