84 
RHINOCEROS. 
against the walls; which he performed with amazing 
quickness, notwithstanding his heavy aspect and 
unwieldy mass. “ I often observed/’ says Dr. Par- 
sons, tf these movements produced by rage or im- 
patience, especially in the mornings before his rice 
and sugar were brought to him. The vivacity and 
promptitude of his movements led me to think 
that he is altogether unconquerable, and that he 
could easily overtake any man who should offend 
him.” 
The roughness of the tongue of the rhinoceros 
seems to have been a matter of dispute among na- 
turalists. By some it has been said to be so rough, 
that the animal can lick off the flesh from a man’s 
bones, while others tell us that its softness equals 
that of the calf. Both these are in some mea- 
sure true, but aggravated by the reporters. The 
tongue of the young rhinoceros is soft, and has ap- 
parently some furrows or wrinkles in it ; but it has 
no prickles, nor rudiments of any, that are dis- 
cernible. On the other hand, the tongue and in- 
side of the upper lip of the old rhinoceros are very 
rough ; and this appears to arise from the constant 
use he makes of these parts in seizing the branches 
of trees which have rough barks, particularly the 
acacia. 
This animal is of a solitary and savage disposition; 
and such is his great strength, that, in combats with 
the elephant, he is said frequently to come off vic- 
torious. They never attack men unless they are 
provoked ; when they become furious, and very 
